Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 21, 2026 Participant: Jose Arismendez #12 Race: 2026 Habanero Habanero 135 Distance: 0.0 miles

A Steady Climb to the Top of the Field Jose Arismendez, 48, of Galveston, covered 132.6 of the 135-mile course at the 2026 Habanero Hundred in 31:02:05, finishing second overall out of 39 competitors while claiming the top spot among men and winning the Masters 40+ division outright. His early pace was brisk and controlled, opening with back-to-back miles at 9:04 and holding roughly 9:30-10:00 pace through the first 20 laps, good enough to sit in the top three overall from the gun. He briefly grabbed the outright overall lead as early as mile 20, and by the marathon-distance mark his pace had settled into the 10:00-10:20 range. Through the middle miles his splits gradually lengthened - hovering near 11:30-12:30 by mile 60 and 12:30-13:30 by mile 80 - a natural progression given the course's repeating 10km-loop format. In the final 30 miles, splits stretched further, with several exceeding 20 minutes per mile, including a 32:27 split at mile 97 and a 26:20 split at mile 66, reflecting the cumulative toll of dozens of laps in Texas heat. The Habanero 135 debuted in 2026, created specifically because 100 miles wasn't enough for the race's veteran finishers, with entry reserved for experienced ultrarunners and pacers permitted only after the 50-mile mark. Arismendez seized the overall gender and Masters lead by mile 34 and never relinquished it, cementing the top men's and Masters finish. Given how significantly his per-mile pace slowed in the closing 20 miles compared to the race's first half, continued work on sustaining rhythm through late-race fatigue could help him close the gap to the overall leader in future starts.