Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 22, 2026 Participant: John Jones #231 Race: 2026 Habanero 100K Distance: 62.0 miles

Consistent Effort Through 61 Miles of Texas Heat Racing in the 100K distance at the Habanero Hundred a race intentionally started at high noon so runners face real-feel temperatures above 100 degrees while still fresh John Jones covered 61.19 miles in 18:09:45, finishing 18th overall out of 75 participants, 10th among men, and 5th in the M30-39 division. The opening laps showed strong, disciplined pacing, holding a steady 13:50 min/mile through the first six miles and staying in the 13:4714:15 min/mile range through roughly 18 miles. As the race progressed into the heat of the afternoon and evening, the pace naturally extended, moving into the 1517 min/mile range by the halfway point (mile 32) and settling into the high-teens to low-20s min/mile pace for the final 20 miles. Notably, Jones reached a season-high 5th place overall and 4th among men at mile 28, showing a strong mid-race push before the cumulative effects of distance and heat led to a gradual settling of pace. The final overall pace came in at 17:48 min/mile, reflecting the demanding nature of sustaining effort across 61 miles in extreme conditions. Overall, the pacing pattern reflects a smart, controlled start followed by an expected fade in a race designed to test heat management over endurance. For future efforts on courses like this, focusing on maintaining smaller pace increases between miles 3050 perhaps through structured heat-adaptation training or targeted effort-based pacing strategies during the hottest hours could help produce more even splits in the race's second half. The stretch from mile 44 to 61 in particular, where per-mile splits climbed from the high teens into the low 20s, presents a clear opportunity to build strength for maintaining pace through the most challenging late-race miles on a demanding, sand-heavy Texas course.