Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 22, 2026 Participant: Aylene Martinez #564 Race: 2026 Habanero 10K Distance: 6.2 miles

Heat-Tested Division Champion Holds Firm Through the Texas Furnace Aylene Martinez, 46, of Bastrop, claimed the F40-49 division title in the 10K at the 2026 Habanero Hundred, finishing in 1:45:28 good for 19th overall and 9th among all women in a 49-runner field. The race, held at 7IL Ranch near Bellville, is infamous for its high-noon gun start, a deliberate choice designed to expose runners to peak heat while still fresh rather than fatigued late in the race; average real-feel temperatures reportedly climb above 100 degrees on the sandy loop course. Martinez's early miles showed strong, consistent pacing, opening with back-to-back splits of 15:56 and 15:53 that placed her 3rd and 2nd in her division. She took over the division lead outright by mile four with a 17:48 split and never relinquished it, holding first place in the F40-49 group through the finish. Her pace did lengthen as the race progressed including an 18:20 mile three and a 20:43 closing mile a pattern very much in line with the punishing conditions this race is built around. Martinez's ability to seize the division lead early and defend it despite a slowing back half speaks to strong positional racing. With the final mile split nearly five minutes slower than her fastest, incorporating heat-specific pacing strategy or negative-split practice in training could help smooth out the back-half fade in future editions of this notoriously hot event.