Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 22, 2026 Participant: Joao Bermudez #227 Race: 2026 Habanero 100K Distance: 62.0 miles

Fast Start Gives Way to a Long, Steady Fade Through Texas Heat Joao Bermudez completed the 100K distance at the 2026 Habanero Hundred in 18:40:38, covering 61.19 miles across the event's signature 10km loops. He finished 20th overall out of 75 competitors, 12th among men, and 7th in the M30-39 division. The race's brutal reputation a high-noon start into triple-digit real-feel heat set the stage for a pacing story that unfolded lap by lap. Bermudez opened aggressively, holding a 10:58 min/mile pace through the first five miles and sitting 6th in his gender group early on. That early speed came at a cost: by mile 13, a 32:07 split signaled the first major slowdown, likely tied to the deep sand and rising heat that define this course. From there, his pace settled into a gradual decline, moving from the 13-16 minute range through the middle miles into 18-20+ minute splits by the final third, with notable stalls at mile 38 (34:00) and mile 44 (35:19) stretches that suggest aid-station time or heat management breaks rather than pure fatigue. Despite this, he showed resilience, closing with a strong 12:39 split at mile 42, proving his legs still had responses left late in the race. For future efforts on courses like this run entirely without cups and requiring runners to carry their own hydration a more conservative opening pace could preserve legs for the back half, where the real work happens in Texas heat. Bermudez's early speed cost him some consistency later, and dialing back the first 10K by even a minute per mile could smooth out the pacing curve and reduce the length of those late-race stalls. Overall, a solid 100K finish on one of the state's toughest courses.