Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 21, 2026 Participant: German Garcia #37 Race: 2026 Habanero Habanero 135 Distance: 0.0 miles

Overall Lead Changes Hands Before Late Podium Surge German Garcia, 47, of Flint, TX, tackled the inaugural Habanero 135 at the 2026 Habanero Hundred a distance TROT added this year specifically for veteran ultra runners who found 100 miles no longer enough. Garcia covered 132.6 of the course's 10km loops in 36:40:54, an overall pace of 16:35 per mile, finishing 3rd overall and 2nd in the Male Division out of 39 participants. Garcia opened briskly, clocking a 9:34 first mile and sitting inside the top 10 overall through the early loops, while holding the Masters 40+ division lead outright from mile 3 through roughly mile 27. As the race stretched into its second half, his position fluctuated significantly he briefly claimed the overall race lead at mile 75 (17:39 split), again at mile 103, and once more at mile 113, before settling into a steady battle for the podium. Split times lengthened from the low 10-minute range early on to the 1530 minute range by the final third, a natural reflection of accumulated fatigue, deep sand, and the ranch's oppressive August heat. Over the final 30 miles, Garcia's per-loop splits stabilized in the mid-to-high teens, showing durability even as pace slowed. Given how frequently the overall lead shifted late in the race, tightening consistency in those closing loops could be a focus for future long-distance efforts small time gains per lap in the final quarter often separate podium spots. Still, sustaining forward motion for over 36 hours across 132.6 miles, while trading the race lead multiple times in the closing stretch, marks a strong showing on one of Texas' most demanding courses.