Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 22, 2026 Participant: Blackhearts #715 Race: 2026 Habanero 100 Mile Relay Distance: 100.0 miles

Relay Squad Surges to the Overall Lead Before Settling Into the Pack Running as part of a 100-Mile Relay team at the 2026 Habanero Hundred, Blackhearts' squad covered 97.79 of the intended 100 miles in 21:45:26 (13:20/mile pace), finishing 13th overall and 8th among men's teams in a 25-team field on TROT's single 10km loop course at the 7IL Ranch. The team's pacing told a story of shifting fortunes lap to lap. Early miles held a remarkably steady 13:5413:57/mile clip through the first six loops, before a strong middle stretch saw legs drop to 9:54 and even 9:23 min/mile pace fast enough to vault the team all the way to 1st place overall from mile 80 through mile 86, a stretch covered at a tight 12:5014:06/mile band. That lead slipped to 3rd by mile 87 and eventually settled into the mid-teens overall by the finish, though the closing legs (miles 9396) again produced sub-9:30 pace before the final tally landed the team 13th overall. The volatility between legs swinging from 20:45/mile on lap 22 to sub-10:00/mile splits later on reflects the natural handoff rhythm of relay racing, but tightening the gap between the team's fastest and slowest legs could help hold position during the overall-lead stretches rather than surrender them late. Worth noting: this is a race where the finishing bar itself is historic only 198 total 100-mile finishes have been recorded at Habanero between 2015 and 2025, a reminder of just how punishing the August heat and deep sand at 7IL Ranch make every loop, relay or solo.