Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 22, 2026 Participant: Walker Smith #90 Race: 2026 Habanero 100 Mile Distance: 100.0 miles

Steady Front-Half Pacing Anchors a Top-Six 100-Mile Finish Walker Smith placed 6th overall (5th male, 2nd in the M20-29 division) out of 79 participants at the 2026 Habanero Hundred, covering 97.79 miles in 24:46:20 for a 15:11/mile overall pace a notable result given the event's reputation for average real-feel temperatures above 100 degrees and deep sand underfoot at the 7IL Ranch. Smith's opening quarter of the race was his strongest stretch. Through the first five miles he held an 11:50/mile pace while sitting 11th overall, and by mile 19 he had climbed into 6th overall (5th male). That pace held remarkably steady through mile 24, with elapsed pace never drifting past 12:50/mile a strong foundation for a 100-mile effort in extreme heat. The middle portion of the race brought the race's toughest test: splits at miles 25 and 26 ballooned to 37:47 and 1:01:56 respectively, pushing his overall pace from 12:49 to 15:40/mile and dropping him to 14th overall. From there, Smith settled into a more moderate rhythm, generally cycling between 12- and 19-minute miles for the remainder of the event, briefly touching the overall race lead at mile 74's split before finishing strong closing miles 91-97 in the 11:44-12:43/mile range to secure his top-six finish. For future 100-mile efforts on similarly demanding terrain, tightening the transition through the middle miles could help preserve more of the pace he established early, potentially trimming significant time off the final result.