Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 22, 2026 Participant: Run Thing 2! #774 Race: 2026 Habanero 100K Relay Distance: 62.0 miles

Steady Relay Effort Delivers Runner-Up Finish and Category Win Racing at the Habanero Hundred Texas' notoriously brutal trail event known for its high-noon start and triple-digit real-feel temperatures this 100K relay squad from College Station covered 61.19 miles in 10:45:39, good for 2nd overall out of 15 entries and a 1st place finish in the Mixed division. Fittingly for a race whose organizers intentionally schedule the gun for the hottest part of the day so runners face the heat while fresh, the team's own effort curve told a similar story: blistering early pace followed by a grind through the afternoon heat. The opening 10K loop was run at a scorching 7:44 min/mile pace, good enough for the overall race lead at the first checkpoint. That pace held remarkably well through five miles before the heat and terrain began to take their toll, with splits gradually extending into the 9:0011:00 min/mile range by miles 1219. A tough middle stretch saw splits balloon into the 1318 min/mile range around miles 1724, coinciding with a slide from 1st to 4th overall. The team responded well, clawing back into 2nd3rd place by mile 26 with a strong 8:31 split, and sustained a much more even 8:3010:00 min/mile rhythm from miles 26 through 43. The final third of the race saw splits lengthen again into the 1115 min/mile range as fatigue and Habanero's deep sand accumulated, though the team surged late, dropping back into the 8:309:15 min/mile range from mile 57 to the finish to lock in the runner-up overall result and the division title. Given the steep midrace fade between miles 1224, targeting more consistent pacing through the heat of the day could help minimize that swing in future efforts on this course.