Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 22, 2026 Participant: Kendalyn Lytle #186 Race: 2026 Habanero 100K Distance: 62.0 miles

Blistering Early Pace Anchors a Gritty Top-10 Finish Kendalyn Lytle opened the 2026 Habanero Hundred 100K with remarkable consistency, clicking off her first five miles between 9:50 and 9:51 per mile pace that had her sitting 3rd overall and 1st among all women through the opening stretch. That early rhythm held nearly flawless through mile 5, with elapsed pace never drifting outside a 10-second window, a rare display of pacing discipline for a race run on a single 10km loop course under Texas' notoriously brutal August heat. The middle miles told a different story. Splits began stretching from the low-11:00s into the 20s and even 30s per mile by mile 13 and beyond, reflecting the toll of sustained effort in conditions the race itself markets as the state's hottest trail event. Place standings fluctuated accordingly dropping as low as 12th overall around mile 25 before rallying back into single digits multiple times through the 30s and 40s, evidence of repeated surges to reclaim ground rather than a steady fade. Lytle crossed the finish in 15:26:18 for the full 61.19-mile 100K distance, an overall pace of 15:08 per mile, good for 9th overall out of 75 finishers, 5th among women, and 2nd in the competitive F20-29 division. The final miles showed one more gear change a 12:44 closing split after several miles in the 1419 minute range suggesting a strong final kick was still available late in a race where the loop format never places a runner more than three miles from aid. Building pacing strategy around sustainable mid-race splits, rather than the fast opening surge, is the clearest area to target for future 100K efforts.