Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 21, 2026 Participant: Alfredo Rodriguez #15 Race: 2026 Habanero Habanero 135 Distance: 0.0 miles

Age-Group Champion Grinds Out Podium Finish Over 42-Hour Ultra Alfredo Rodriguez, 50, of Laredo, TX, took on the inaugural Habanero 135 at the 2026 Habanero Hundred a distance added this year specifically for the race's veteran ultrarunners and reserved for experienced entrants only. Rodriguez covered 132.6 miles in 42:20:56, finishing 10th overall out of 39 starters, 9th among men, and capturing the M50-59 division title. Rodriguez opened briskly, clicking off his first mile in 10:05 and holding sub-13-minute pacing through the race's early loops, good enough for 2nd in his division inside the first hour. He then settled into a steady grind, holding the M50-59 lead outright from roughly mile 7 through the finish, with splits gradually lengthening from the 13-15 minute range around the marathon mark to the 18-22 minute range by mile 100 as fatigue and accumulated loops took their toll a natural progression given the extreme demands of racing 130-plus miles on a single 10km loop in Texas heat. Notably, Rodriguez briefly surged to 2nd overall around mile 121, before settling back into his methodical late-race rhythm to close out the event. One notable wrinkle of the Habanero 135: it was created because 100 miles simply wasn't enough for the race's returning finishers, and pacers aren't permitted until the 50-mile mark meaning Rodriguez covered the first half of his effort entirely solo before earning outside support. Looking ahead, tightening the wide swings in per-loop pacing during the back half several splits stretched past 25-40 minutes per loop could help smooth his overall effort and preserve energy for a stronger closing kick in future 100-mile-plus efforts.