After nearly a decade of changing lives through education and athletics, the Coach Archie Duran Memorial Scholarship Fund will host its final community race on Saturday, April 12, at Nations Tobin Park, marking a heartfelt farewell and a celebration of a legacy that will endure far beyond the finish line.
The Coach Archie Duran Memorial 5K Run & 1-Mile Fun Walk will begin promptly at 8:00 a.m. at Nations Tobin Park, located at 8831 Railroad Drive. Community members of all ages are invited to participate in this final gathering to honor a coach who dedicated his life to uplifting young people through sports and education.
The fund was established in 2017 by the Duran family in loving memory of Archie Duran, a beloved Jefferson and Irvin High School track coach whose life was tragically cut short in a bus crash in Hudspeth County while returning from a regional UIL track meet. Though 34 student-athletes survived the accident, Coach Duran did not. His loss was felt deeply across the El Paso community—as a coach, mentor, husband, father, brother, son, and friend.
“Our brother’s spirit and memory will continue to live through us,” said Alex Duran. “We wanted to honor him by giving back to the community that inspired him so much.”
Coach Archie Duran was known for his passion for coaching—especially track—and for his rare ability to reach young people, pushing them not only to run faster, but to dream bigger. Raised in a working-class neighborhood where opportunity often felt out of reach, Archie understood firsthand the power of sports and education. Athletics earned him a scholarship and opened the door to higher education, a life-changing experience he wanted for every student he coached.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the Duran family found purpose and healing by carrying forward Archie’s unwavering belief that higher education changes lives. With the support of the Paso del Norte Community Foundation, they established the Coach Archie Duran Memorial Scholarship Fund to help student-athletes pursue college degrees and brighter futures.
Over the past nine years, the foundation has awarded more than $20,000 in scholarships, impacting countless students and families across the region. As the family now prepares to lovingly close this chapter due to evolving personal commitments, they do so with immense pride, gratitude, and confidence that Archie’s influence will continue through every student he inspired.
“This moment is bittersweet,” the family shared. “While it is sad to say goodbye, we are incredibly proud of what has been accomplished and thankful to everyone who has run alongside us on this journey.”
The April 12 race at Tobin Park will be the foundation’s final race, serving as both a farewell and a celebration—a chance for the community to come together one last time to honor Coach Archie Duran’s life, values, and enduring impact.
Community members are encouraged to register here: https://runsignup.com/Race/TX/ElPaso/ARCHIEDURANMEMORIAL , participate, or support through sponsorship opportunities. All proceeds will continue to support the scholarship fund and its mission.
To donate or learn more, please visit the donation link or contact ElizaBeth Duran at 915-603-2818 for interview opportunities.
Join us as we run one last time together—for Archie, for education, and for the legacy of a coach who never stopped believing in his kids.
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