Results/Photos

Date: Aug. 22, 2026 Participant: Victor Elizondo #254 Race: 2026 Habanero 50K Distance: 31.0 miles

Blistering Start Gives Way to a Hard-Fought Finish Victor Elizondo closed out the 50K distance at the 2026 Habanero Hundred in 9:20:33, placing 36th overall and 29th among men (12th in the M30-39 division) out of 71 finishers. The race itself lived up to its billing as Texas' hottest trail event, run on a single 10km loop at the 7IL Ranch in deep sand under a high-noon start conditions organizers intentionally design to hit runners while they're fresh rather than late in the race. Elizondo's early splits were remarkable: he covered the first eight miles at an even 4:27 min/mile pace, sitting in the overall race lead through that stretch. That opening pace was not sustainable over 31 miles of sand and heat, and by mile 13 his elapsed pace had settled into the 89 minute range as he held 2nd3rd overall through the middle miles. By mile 20, cumulative fatigue and rising temperatures pushed his per-mile splits into the mid-to-high teens, a common and expected trend in ultra-distance heat racing. The most telling stretch came late: mile 26 alone took 57:42, and the following split ballooned to 1:36:09 a clear sign of a significant stoppage or major struggle, likely tied to heat or a needed recovery period at an aid station. To his credit, Elizondo rallied afterward, closing with three straight sub-18-minute miles (17:43, 16:58, 14:26) to move from 23rd back up through the field before finishing. Going forward, building a pacing strategy that holds back more in the opening 10K even on a fast-feeling course could help preserve more consistent splits in the race's brutal second half, where the Habanero Hundred is designed to punish anyone who goes out too hot.