Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 21, 2026 Participant: Seth Epley #19 Race: 2026 Habanero Habanero 135 Distance: 0.0 miles

Strong Start Fades Into Gritty Endurance Battle Seth Epley covered 132.6 of the Habanero 135's 135 miles in 47 hours, 28 minutes, and 10 seconds, finishing 18th overall and 17th among men, and 2nd in the Men's 20-29 division out of 39 total participants at the 2026 Habanero Hundred. Epley opened aggressively, clocking a 9:05 opening mile and holding sub-10-minute overall pace through the first six miles, good enough for 3rd place overall and the top spot in his age group. That divisional lead held for nearly 28 miles before the accumulating fatigue and heat stretched his splits into the 20-30 minute range by the race's midpoint. Notably, Epley found a second wind late in the effort, briefly seizing the overall race lead at the 109-mile mark on a 50:53 split, and again cracking the top 3 overall near mile 122 and mile 128, before settling into his final position over the closing miles. The Habanero 135 was new for the 2026 event, added specifically because 100 miles wasn't enough distance for the race's most experienced ultrarunners a fitting proving ground for Epley's 132.6-mile push. Given the dramatic swing between his sub-10-minute opening pace and the 20-plus minute miles later in the race, working on more even pacing across such an extended distance could help him carry his early speed further into future multi-day efforts.