Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 22, 2026 Participant: Derek Loflin #271 Race: 2026 Habanero 50K Distance: 31.0 miles

Early Speed and a Late Rally Power a Top-20 Finish Derek Loflin completed the 50K at the 2026 Habanero Hundred in 7:57:54, placing 18th overall (16th male, 7th in the M30-39 division) among 71 finishers. The race unfolds on a single 10km loop at 7IL Ranch, with average real-feel temperatures above 100 degrees and no runner ever more than three miles from aid Loflin's 50K required five trips around that loop to cover the full 30.69-mile distance. Loflin came out of the gate strong, sitting in 3rd place overall through the first five miles at a brisk 9:07 min/mile pace. That effort cooled through the middle of the race: a 28:12 split at mile 13 dropped him to 28th overall, and his pace settled into the 14-17 min/mile range for the bulk of miles 14 through 26 as his overall position hovered in the low-to-mid 20s. A strong closing kick followed. A 13:30 split at mile 27 jumped Loflin from 21st to 14th overall, and a 16:15 split the next mile briefly put him 4th overall, 4th among men, and 1st in the M30-39 division. He settled into 18th by the finish line, closing with an overall pace of 15:34 min/mile. The gap between his fast start and even faster closing miles points to an opportunity to build more consistent pacing through the demanding middle stretch of the course.