Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 22, 2026 Participant: Jason Herring #370 Race: 2026 Habanero Marathon Distance: 26.2 miles

Steady Pacing Secures a Masters Division Victory in Brutal Heat Jason Herring, 53, of Georgetown, TX, completed the Marathon distance at the 2026 Habanero Hundred in 5:47:18, good for 5th overall out of 39 finishers and, notably, 1st place in the Men's Masters division. That distinction is especially impressive given the event's signature quirk: a high-noon start under real-feel temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, designed intentionally to expose runners to the heat while still fresh rather than late in the race. Herring's early miles showed strong control, opening with a 10:52 pace over the first mile and holding between 10-12 minutes per mile through the first 10K, sitting as high as 4th overall by mile 7. As the race progressed into the hottest stretch of the day, his pace understandably slowed mile 14 ballooned to 19:38 and mile 21 to 18:22 a natural response to accumulating heat and fatigue over the marathon's four-loop, 10km-repeat course. Despite this, he never relinquished his hold on 4th place overall for a long middle stretch of the race, finishing with an overall elapsed pace of 13:24 min/mile across the full 25.9 miles. Most notably, Herring held the top Masters position wire-to-wire from mile 2 onward, never dropping below 1st in that division through all 25 recorded splits a strong display of consistency relative to his age group even as overall pace decayed in the heat. Given the late-race pace fluctuations, particularly the swings between 12- and 19-minute miles in the back half, continued work on heat management and maintaining a steadier effort through the final third of similar races could help preserve position and reduce late variability in future starts on this notoriously challenging Texas course.