Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 22, 2026 Participant: Masato Ota #183 Race: 2026 Habanero 100K Distance: 62.0 miles

Consistent Grinding Delivers Masters Podium Finish Masato Ota completed the 100K distance at the 2026 Habanero Hundred in 15:53:38, finishing 12th overall out of 75 participants, 7th among men, and 2nd in the Men's Masters 40+ division. Racing the full 61.19-mile coursebuilt on repeated 10km loops with the halfway mark punctuated by the race's signature "Hot Tamales" aid stationOta maintained a steady overall pace of 15:35 min/mile across the ten laps required for the 100K. The early miles were the fastest of the day, with a 12:57 min/mile pace through the opening five miles, before settling into the mid-14 to mid-17 min/mile range for the bulk of the race as cumulative fatigue and course conditions took hold. One standout stretch came at elapsed mile 28, where a 15:31 split briefly vaulted Ota to 3rd overall and 2nd among menthe best positional showing of the racebefore pace and placement normalized back into the low-to-mid teens overall through the finish. The final loops held remarkably steady, with splits consistently in the 14:2019:44 min/mile band, showing strong durability over the second half of the effort. Given the Habanero Hundred's notoriously punishing conditionsdeep sand, high humidity, and real-feel temperatures regularly exceeding 100 degreesmaintaining a controlled, disciplined pace late in the race is especially notable. For future starts at this distance, targeting a slightly more even pace through the middle third (miles 1535), where the widest swings between fast and slow splits occurred, could help preserve energy for a stronger closing stretch. Overall, this was a well-managed 100K performance highlighted by a top-15 overall finish and a Masters podium result on one of Texas' toughest trail courses.