TrailSkin at Wild Horse 200: What Runners Learnt About Skin Protection, TrailSkin Trench Foot Cream, and Chafing

Wild Horse 200 is a race where small skin issues can compound into adventure-ending troubles. In the South Wales edition, runners have five days to complete a gruelling route through trails and mountains, but as it takes part in April, there is also a large chance that they’ll encounter wet underfoot conditions, including muddy paths and bogs you can sink into. Keeping feet from macerating is a huge priority to get to the finish line, along with avoiding chafing and other discomfort (as much as possible). 

We’ve spoken to real runners who spent over 80 hours continuously exposed to the elements: particularly wet underfoot conditions, on tired legs and after sleepless nights. Feet will hurt during any ultra, but to keep them dry, soft, and blister-free for at least three days (mostly five) with minimal stopping, is quite the feat.

Here we look back at how the race unfolded for several runners who used TrailSkin products, hearing from them and from volunteers who saw them manage the aid stations. 

Why Skin Protection Matters More Over 200 Miles

For most people competing in ultra marathons, the healthy condition of their feet can make or break the race. And we’re not talking about placing high on a podium: simply completing an event that takes over ten hours (sometimes 80!) in any kind of weather conditions puts massive strain on the feet, as well as the rest of the body.

Here’s a “menu” of the risks:

• Feeling “hot spots” 20 miles in doesn’t usually threaten a marathon, but it can turn to blisters that stop you from running by mile 80
• Wet socks, worn for hours on end, can lead to macerated skin on the soles of your feet and the inability to keep moving
• Minor pack rub can become raw skin over tens of miles and hours on the trail
• Foot pain will change your gait, leading to possible compensation on the other side or different movement patterns which can eventually cause other problems down the line
• Multi-day racing - especially continuous rather than stage races like Beyond the Ultimate or Dragon’s Back - amplify every small issue as there is less time to fix problems and runners can easily become “seduced” by the pull to keep moving, when instead they should stop and tend to the “small things” early.

Registration at WildHorse 200

Wild Horse 200 2026: Wet Feet, Sweat, Repeated Friction

At this year’s Wild Horse 200 South Wales, the typical hazards were present on course: wet, boggy trails, tough long sections in between checkpoints, and a must-have routine for every change of socks and shoes at aid stations.

Some runners chose to wear sock liners and waterproof socks preventatively, especially knowing that they would be faced with tricky river crossings. Catherine recalled how “after mile 80, we were just wading through rather than running on the trail!” Even so, after being soaked for hours, she reached mile 130 to find her feet “just fine” after a good clean with alcohol wipes (to speed up the drying process so she could re-apply TrailSkin Trench Foot Cream before continuing). 

It is worth noting, however, that it’s not just wet weather that poses a problem for feet during ultras. Sweat is just as bad, particularly in warm and humid climates. Runners like James found that socks will absorb the moisture from sweating in the heat, until they become saturated, and thus create the same environment as wading through the Welsh bogs. Taking his experience of using TrailSkin Trench Foot Cream away to running in Spain in 40-degree weather, he’s going to use the same approach for protecting his feet on long days out. 

Key takeaway for all conditions: Trench foot protection starts with keeping your feet as dry, clean, and protected as possible. 

What Worked For Race Finishers

So, how did the runners we spoke to use their TrailSkin products and adjacent solutions to improve their chances of finishing the Wild Horse 200? 

A summary of approaches - not exhaustive! - includes:

• Pre-race: Prepare by protecting and targeting known problem areas. Some runners used the Revival Foot Balm regularly to keep their feet soft and avoid calluses or cracks. Others added the Muscle Balm to their after-run routine to soothe the muscles.
• At aid stations during the race: Always dry feet first (using an alcohol gel or wipes to speed up the process if needed), cleaning them (lots of mud to remove in order to apply Trailskin Trench Foot Cream and Anti-Chafe Salve and have them work effectively!), then re-apply the TrailSklin Trench Foot Cream first, followed by Anti-Chafe in between toes and on every hot spot needed (not just the feet: areas where the pack could have rubbed, sports bra line, etc.)
• Using TrailSkin with KT tape: Taping is very useful for protecting the toes, heels, and balls of the feet for many runners. TrailSkin worked well with taping: applying it first, then using the TrailSkin Trench Foot Cream over it, kept the feet dry and the tape in place. An added tip is to apply Anti-Chafe Salve on the seams and/or edges of the tape to avoid it coming off, too.
• What socks work best? This is a very personal decision, but we’ve seen lots of athletes like Gareth Jones layer sock liners and waterproof socks, especially when they know the following sections of a route are going to be very wet. For those who didn’t use waterproof socks, the TrailSkin Trench Foot Cream provided an important waterproofing layer which they could re-apply regularly (as seen below). 

The Mindset Shift: Suffering in Ultras is No Longer a Badge of Honour

Elizabeth was volunteering in the checkpoint at mile 145 and saw runner after runner come in and tend to their feet: “I hardly had any work to do to doctor people’s feet… and I’ve been there at every edition, this year was different!”

Trail runners are beginning to see foot care as essential - not as an “add-on”, particularly on long distances and in adverse conditions like the boggy terrain and wet trails. The majority would use fleecy web and KT tape to protect their feet, and a growing number now resort to Trailskin Trench Foot Cream as a regular part of their kit. Lee thinks it’s also a key element of comfort for those who seek longevity in the sport: the better you care for your feet, the more likely you are to keep training and go back to running after an event like the Wild Horse 200.

Where TrailSkin makes a difference:

• In between checkpoints, when runners can sometimes take 15 hours before reaching a place to dry their feet and re-apply tape, bandages, and foot care products. It’s at these points that some of the runners we spoke to developed a shorter loop routine through the wettest sections: Kyle told us he lathered his feet with Anti-Chafe Salve every four hours to avoid blisters. Incidentally, this also had a second benefit: keeping him more alert due to the regular interruptions!
• At checkpoints, you can speed up your transition / changing into new socks if needed, but without faffing quite as much with your kit, by using easy-to-apply and handle tubes of TrailSkin Trench Foot Cream and Anti-Chafe Salve. These take little space in your drop bag or crew bags and several Wild Horse runners told us how easy they were to apply without getting any product on their hands. This is also great while you’re on the move: if you are trying to keep hands warm in gloves or if they’re covered in mud from falling into bogs, you can still apply TrailSkin to your feet during a quick stop and keep on moving!

Finally, don’t overlook the psychological edge you can get simply from self-care routines. During the Arc of Attrition by UTMB 100-miler, we saw runners at the front and back of the pack equally get a mental boost by looking after their feet and having the confidence in the way they cared for their skin during the race. This came up again at Wild Horse: Kyle (who spent 115 hours on course!) told us how he never considered using anything but TrailSkin Trench Foot Cream: “I just felt like it pretty much made my feet waterproof: all I needed to do [in aid stations] was dry off, re-apply, and carry on.”

Recovery: An Underrated Element for Skin Care

Most ultra runners will want to rest, recover, then head into another adventure a little while down the line after a big goal event. But sometimes, even after taking care of their feet during the event, they forget about looking after their skin in the recovery period. 

Some of the conversations we had three weeks after the Wild Horse 200 highlighted just how much more beneficial skincare after an ultra can be:

• Rachel shared how her feet usually shed layers of skin after an ultra, but this hasn’t been the case thanks to regular application of the Revival Foot Balm
• Dry skin on feet often occurs after they swell, then deflate in a few days. Kyle and Lee both experienced this and saw their feet come back to normal while applying the foot balm, too
• The Muscle Balm and Revival Bath Salts provide a great wind-down effect, soothing and restoring, but also an uplifting scent that many now associate with positive effects

 

Building good checkpoint routines, knowing their hot spots and problem areas and preventing chafing or maceration as much as possible, and even developing on-course mini-loops for checking on feet and re-applying TrailSkin Trench Foot Cream became the recipe for success at this year’s very wet Wild Horse 200.

Whether you’re preparing for wet winter conditions or boggy summer trails, a multi-day or single push over many hours, or heading out in sweaty, sunny environments, our complete guide to foot and skin management covers the science behind our products and routines and guides you to develop your own personal recipe. 

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