Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 22, 2026 Participant: Coleman Payne #350 Race: 2026 Habanero Marathon Distance: 26.2 miles

A Resilient Runner-Up Push Through Blistering Heat Coleman Payne completed the marathon distance at the 2026 Habanero Hundred in 6:16:07, covering 25.9 miles at an overall pace of 14:31 per mile. He finished 8th overall among 39 participants and claimed 2nd place in the competitive M30-39 age division a position he held from the very first mile of the race. Payne came out fast, clocking a 10:53 opening mile before dropping to a blistering 9:49 second mile, his quickest split of the day, which briefly moved him into 6th place overall. He stayed within the top ten for the entire race. The Habanero Hundred is known for its brutal conditions real-feel temperatures often exceeding 100 degrees on a course of deep sand and Payne's splits tell that story: after averaging under 11 minutes per mile through the first four miles, his pace steadily lengthened, including a 30:27 split at mile 14 and a 21:47 split at mile 21. Notably, he found a second wind late, closing with an 11:54 mile 24 and a 10:12 mile 25, his second-fastest split of the day. Coach's note: Payne's ability to hold 2nd in his division wire-to-wire speaks to consistent positioning and mental toughness in extreme heat. The late-race surge in miles 24-25 suggests untapped reserves that could be better distributed earlier. Working on heat-adjusted pacing strategies for the middle miles particularly around the 12-16 mile range where the biggest slowdowns occurred could help smooth out the overall pace and potentially improve final placement in future hot-weather ultras.