Event Description
This race is designed to put you in an extreme situation both physically and mentally, but with many comforts that you don't normally get with a big loop 100. The relay will also allow you to run with a team, friends, and family to complete this monumental task. In the first year of the event we only had ONE finisher, Julie Schmal! Ever since we have put our 100mi finishers' names printed on the back of the next year's shirt. Between 2015 and 2022 only 115 people have finished the Habanero Hundred 100mi! Are you up for the challenge? Or maybe start with one of our shorter distances or team relays. Sign up your club for the relay in our highly competitive team event for both the 100k and 100mi distances.
The race is held at the beautiful 7IL ranch just outside of Bellville, Texas. The ranch has been open for more than five generations, and it was opened for public use in 1999. The facility is over 1,150 acres with water/electric and RV hookups as well.
The Habanero Hundred is set up to start at HIGH NOON, and the 30-hour cutoff will end at 6:00 PM on Sunday. All runners will receive an event shirt, the race will be chip timed, and we will have free pictures for all runners. There will be belt buckles for 100K and 100M runners, and medals for the 10k, 20k, 30k, 40k, 50k, and Relay Teams.
MORE DETAILED 2023 INFO COMING SOON
2023 Schedule
FRIDAY, AUGUST 11TH
12:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Packet Pickup
4:00 PM: Race Briefing @ 7IL Ranch Barn Pavilion and Facebook Live
11:59 PM Registration closes (UltraSignup).
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12TH
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Packet Pickup at 7IL Barn Pavilion
HIGH NOON: Race Start for 100 mile and 100 kilometer Individuals and Relay's
12:30 PM: Start for 50k, 40k, 30k, 20k, and 10k
SUNDAY, AUGUST 13TH
4:00 PM Loop cutoff (no starting another loop)
6:00 PM Race Ends
Cutoffs
30H CLOCK TIME
SUNDAY, AUGUST 13TH
4:00 PM Loop cutoff (no starting another loop)
6:00 PM Race Ends
*RACE & MEDICAL DIRECTOR, AND EMS HAVE THE ULTIMATE DECISION ON PARTICIPANTS STARTING OR CONTINUING THE EVENT BASED ON THE EVALUATION OF EACH PARTICIPANT DUE TO THE EXTREME CONDITIONS
Dropdown & Event Change
You may change your registered event during open registration on UltraSignup per the TROT policies.
Aid Station and Support
There will be 3 aid stations:
The Start/Finish area of each loop with a FULL AID STATION
An unmanned aid station between Start/Finish and Halfway with water & ice
The Halfway aid station which is at 3.2 miles on the loop is a FULL AID STATION
Hot Tamales is shortly after you turn North to come inbound, at the farmhouse, where crews and emergency can have direct access.
There will be a timing tent, an aid station tent, and a medical treatment area.
Runners should set up their own support area along the course line for extended rest periods, personal gear, and preferences for food and hydration. Note that vehicles parked along the course will not be able to move till Sunday at 6 PM, this includes vehicle loading/unloading. Those wishing to leave earlier can park in the large field area which is open to in/out traffic as needed.
Aid Station Items (subject to change/while quantities last for non-critical items):
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Fluids: Water, Ice, Gatorade, and Base Performance
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Soda: Coke, Ginger Ale, Orange.
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Electrolytes: Base Performance and Table Salt
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Bars: Base Performance Bars
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Sweet: Cookies, Candy, Peanut Butter, Nutella
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Salty: Pringles, Trail Mix, Chips
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Food: Sandwiches (PB&J, Nutella, PB, etc), Bean burrito rolls, fruit (bananas and oranges)
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Medical: Bandages, Vasoline, Band Aids (limited), etc. ( NO NSAIDS e.g. ibuprofen) , Feminine Care Products
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Trail Toes at all aid stations with tape
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Cooking (evening only): Grilled Cheese, Quesadillas, Soup, Noodles, Coffee, Hot Chocolate, Ramen, Potatoes, and other "fun ultra concoctions".
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Other: Cooling bucket, Gatoritas (hot weather), and other surprises!
We will have everything you need at our aid stations and usually throw in something extra at each event to make it fun. It's not uncommon to see cakes, pies, watermelons, etc… You never know what the surprise will be!
Aid stations are for registered runners only, during the event (not before). Serving is by our volunteers and staff only. Crew members are not to use aid station supplies. Runners and crew are encouraged to have their own supply, especially for particular items or certain diet requirements.
Drop Bags
We will have a ground tarp at the Start/Finish area for drop bags but runners are encouraged to set up their own area along the course line - bring a tent, tarp, chairs, supplies, etc.
Hot Tamales Aid Station will have drop bag access: Runners can drop their small bags at check-in with clear names, and bags will return in the evening.
Pacers & Crew
Crew is allowed at both aid stations. For the halfway aid stations crew will need to drive to the farmhouse driveway.
100m/100k Pacing is allowed. You may only have 1 Pacer at a time while you are running. Each pacer must register on UltraSignup as a pacer (this will open in July, unless they are already registered in another event) and wear a pacing bib (check-in at timing tent on race day to receive pacer bib).
100m runners may have a pacer once they have completed 8 loops of the course.
100k runners may have a pacer after they have completed 5 loops of the course.
THERE IS NO PACING FOR 50k and BELOW.
Passes, Parking, and Camping
The venue fee is now included in the runner registration. All other individuals 12 years or older (includes crew/pacer/spectator/etc.*) entering 7IL Ranch are required to purchase a $5 Park Pass. This fee goes directly to the landowner. A wristband will be issued once your order is confirmed at the check-in table located at packet pickup, or the main event tent once the race begins (for later arrivals). This covers trail access, parking, bathrooms and showers, and primitive camping for the entire week. Come and go as you please. Passes can be pre-purchased online via the UltraSignup registration page or in-person via cash/PayPal/Venmo/Zelle.
RV sites are limited and must be reserved directly with 7IL Ranch here.
*Volunteers will receive a complimentary wristband.
*If you booked an RV site with 7IL Ranch, your reservation only covers one person at that site, all others will need to pay an entrance fee.
RELAY TEAMS
The captain purchases the registration for the team and is then responsible for collecting team fees. Relay teams can be 2-5 people running. A relay runner MUST complete the full loop back to the start/finish. If a runner on a relay team starts the loop and is unable to continue, the team with be DNF. The only place that an exchange can be made is at the Start/FInish. There is no order in how you must complete those loops or how many loops each member of your team needs to do. Runners can change the order or number of loops per runner registered on their team as desired. No substitutions are allowed by non-team runners (including solo or other teams’ runners).
SAFETY WARNING
WARNING: THIS RACE STARTS AT NOON
Pre-Race Heat Training Advice, Tips, and Medical Plan
We take safety very seriously at all TROT races, but especially Habanero, to ensure that all our runners are safe. The Race Director and Medical Staff have the ultimate decision on runners being able to start or continue based on their observations. Emergency medical professionals will be on location Saturday during the day along with our own Medical Director and Memorial Hermann staff through the weekend in addition to trained event directors.
In the event of an emergency, you should dial 911, alert other runners/race staff, and alert the race director to provide further instruction and communication with emergency services. If you dial 911 you must notify the race director as soon as possible.
Weigh-ins may be requested before or during for all 100m/100k runners. The weigh-ins are designed to help the runner/staff monitor your fluid levels and condition. Weighing in/out is also on a self-serve or need basis.
All aid stations, day and night, will have water, electrolytes, salt tabs, ice, ice buckets, shade, and the normal buffet of food that we always have including hot and cold foods. In addition to what we provide, you may bring drop bags to be placed at aid stations.
The course is small on purpose so that you are never more than 3.0 miles away from aid. This means if you are walking, you are just an hour from aid. You can ice up at each aid station and keep as cool as possible. We picked this park because it also has some decent cover so that you aren't always super exposed to the sun. The reason we use a short out-and-back loop course is so that you see people and will be able to encourage each other as the loops pile up. We picked a park that had showers within 100 feet of the start so that you can fully cool off if you want to. And while starting at noon seems really mean, it is meant to get you in the sun while you are fresh. We don't want you to have spent all day in the sun and be a zombie walking at night. You should be looking forward to really moving your best when the sun is setting.
We have some AMAZING ultrarunning volunteers that will be at the aid stations, guys and gals that have run tons of ultras, 100 miler races, and beyond. They want to help you. And these amazing volunteers might just be your best friend when the race is over.
Short Distance Solo and Relay Runners - Yes you, running 10k loops, we have seen year after year that a majority of our medical issues come not from the ultra runners, but from the shorter distance runners and relay runners who simply “go out too hot”. The heat you generate, internal temperature, and exertion level are higher amongst these runners so an extra word of caution for those runners to pace themselves. This is not the race to be a hero.
So you as a runner will have everything at your fingertips to help you get to the finish line. When you sign up for a race (ANY race) you should know your limitations and the risks that are involved in a race. The Habanero Hundred is quite different in a few ways and I want to give you some advice to think about.
1. A buff, a bandana, and arm sleeves can all help you stay cool. A buff dipped in water will help to keep the blood cool around your neck. You can put ice into a bandana and wrap it around your neck or head. Arm sleeves can also be stuffed with ice to keep the blood vessels in your wrists cool.
2. Cotton shirts will help to keep moisture against your skin instead of away from it. While most people think cotton is the devil because it chafes, it can help to keep moisture against the skin while you're in the sun. Your sweat will actually help to cool you. As the sun sets maybe toss on a tech shirt and change back to cotton when you start to get hot again.
3. Run within your limits. Most of you are out there heat training all the time like me and realize that hot weather makes your heart rate go up. You need to be smart while it's HOT and not be in the red when it doesn't help you. Remember 100m/100k runners, the time to cover the most miles is from 6:00pm-6:00am when you are out of the sunlight.
4. Electrolytes. Taking salt, salt pills, or salted items is going to be key when you run in the sun. Make sure that you are comfortable with salt water before race day. We will have Base nutrition, the Hammer Fizz packets, table salt, and salted items to snack on as well.
Check out a few links below on heat training and how to stay cool.
Wester States Heat Training Article
Weather or other incidents: In the event of lightning, storms, or other unplanned dangerous conditions the Race Director may delay/pause/cancel the event.
SWAG
2023 designs coming soon.. All shirts have our last-years 100M finishers on the back!
MEDALS & AWARDS
Buckles for 100M and 100k finishers. Finisher medals for Relay and 50k/40k/30k/20k/10k.
Awards for Top 3 Male/Female Open and Masters (50+).
SUB 24-HOUR 100M FINISHERS WIN THEIR ENTRY FEE BACK (OR A FREE TROT RACE)
"ROAD KILL" AWARD FOR THE TOP Houston AREA ROAD RUNNERS ASSOCIATION (HARRA) CLUB TEAMS IN THE 100M AND 100K RELAYS
MAPS
2023 UPDATES IN JULY
VOLUNTEER
Earn future race credits, race swag, free park pass, food, and volunteer hours (as needed). Club support options are available as well for team aid station takeovers.
See more info on our volunteer page: VOLUNTEER WITH TROT
SPONSORS
2023 info coming soon...