Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 22, 2026 Participant: Mickey Murray #276 Race: 2026 Habanero 50K Distance: 31.0 miles

Steady Early Pace Gives Way to a Gritty Second Half Mickey Murray completed the 50K distance at the 2026 Habanero Hundred in 8:20:37, covering 30.69 miles at an average pace of 16:18 per mile. The result placed him 24th overall out of 71 finishers, 20th among men, and 4th in the M40-49 division a solid showing on a course notorious for its brutal August conditions at the 7IL Ranch. The mile-by-mile splits tell a clear story of a strong, disciplined start followed by an honest fade in the heat. Murray held remarkably consistent 13:2013:40 pace through the first six miles, sitting inside the top-30 overall and briefly climbing to 1st in his division around mile 9. From there, splits gradually lengthened into the 1417 minute range through mile 18, before the middle miles (1926) stretched into the 1823 minute range as fatigue and conditions took hold. A notable outlier came at mile 28, where a 28:38 split suggests an aid-station stop or brief recovery pause, after which Murray rallied with a 17:13 mile and closed strong with a 15:34 final split. This kind of pacing pattern strong opening miles followed by a sharp mid-race decline is common on the Habanero course, where average real-feel temperatures exceed 100 degrees and deep sand adds to the grind; fittingly, it's a cupless race requiring runners to carry their own hydration throughout. For future efforts, Murray could look at building a more gradual pacing curve early on, banking slightly less speed in the first 10K to preserve strength for the heat-soaked middle miles. The late-race rally in the final two miles, dropping back into the 15-minute range, is an encouraging sign of resilience and suggests real potential for a more evenly paced finish next time out.