Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 22, 2026 Participant: Ryan Huff #274 Race: 2026 Habanero 50K Distance: 31.0 miles

Steady Pacing and a Late Surge Deliver a Division Title Ryan Huff completed the 50K distance at the 2026 Habanero Hundred in 7:33:54, finishing 13th overall out of 71 participants, 11th among men, and first in the M40-49 division. The result came on a course run under TROT's signature high-noon start, a deliberate design choice meant to expose runners to Texas' brutal August heat while still fresh rather than late in the race. Huff's early miles were remarkably consistent, holding a 13:50 min/mile pace through the first six miles and sitting 5th in his division. A gradual fade followed through the midrace stretch, with per-mile splits drifting into the 15:0017:40 min/mile range between miles 19 and 26 as cumulative pace slipped to a 15:08 min/mile average at mile 26. Despite the slowdown, Huff's competitive position within his age group steadily improved climbing from 5th to 1st in the M40-49 division by mile 24 and holding that position for the remainder of the race. The closing stretch was the highlight of the effort. After grinding through the sand and heat of the middle loops, Huff produced back-to-back strong splits to finish a 13:51 min/mile at mile 29 followed by a 10:21 min/mile final mile, his fastest of the entire race. That closing kick locked in both his overall top-15 finish and the division win. Given the pace variability across the middle miles, a focus on maintaining more even effort through the race's midsection could help sustain a stronger pace overall in future efforts, building on the strong finishing speed already on display.