Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 22, 2026 Participant: Randy Erickson #302 Race: 2026 Habanero 50K Distance: 31.0 miles

Blistering Opener Gives Way to a Gritty Battle Through the Heat Randy Erickson completed the 50K at the 2026 Habanero Hundred in 8:20:47, an overall pace of 16:19 per mile, placing 25th overall out of 71 finishers, 21st among men, and 8th in the M30-39 division. Erickson's race told a story of two distinct halves. He opened blazingly fast, covering the first five miles at a consistent 10:17 pace and sitting 10th overall and 9th among men through that stretch. Splits six through twenty-five saw a steady decline, with per-mile pace stretching out to the 17-25 minute range as the notoriously brutal conditions of this race run in Texas August heat with real-feel temperatures regularly exceeding 100 degrees on deep sand trails took their toll. Notably, this event is cupless with mandatory personal hydration, a detail that underscores just how demanding the environment is on runners over 30-plus miles. Erickson found a second wind late, dropping a 15:14 split at mile 27 that vaulted him from 25th up to 19th overall, and continued that surge into mile 28 with an 18:28 split that briefly pushed him to 11th overall and 3rd in his division before settling into his final placement. Erickson's early pace was aggressive relative to his eventual finishing effort, and the marked slowdown across the middle miles suggests the fast start may have cost some reserves for the back half. A more conservative, even-effort approach in the opening miles could help preserve strength for a stronger, more sustained finish. The late-race surge from miles 27-28 is an encouraging sign of Erickson's resilience and closing ability, and building pacing strategy around that same intensity but spread more evenly across the full distance could yield a faster overall time in this challenging course.