Kris Durr spent his early high school years at Clover Park High School in Lakewood, WA, before transferring to Rogers High School in Puyallup for 11th and 12th grade.

While at Clover Park High School, as just a sophomore, Durr set a school record in the 400M with a time of 48.78 seconds. His performance and leadership earned him the Most Inspirational Track and Field Award, as determined by his teammates and coaches. 

He dominated the SPSL Conference Championship, setting a new record in the 400M (49.0) and took third place at the State Tournament that spring. He also ran on Clover Park’s relay teams, propelling the 4x400M squad to a second-place finish and the 4x100M team into third.

Durr continued to dominate the track scene after transferring to Rogers High School. In 1982, he placed 4th in the 400M at the USA Track and Field Junior Olympics and established a new Washington State Junior Record in the 200M with a time of 21.46 seconds. He brought home second-place finishes in the 100M, 200M, and 400M, in addition to anchoring the 4x400M relay team to a third-place finish at the State Tournament in 1982. 

Durr demonstrated his versatility by qualifying for nine events at the SPSL Sub-District Championship where he stood atop the podium in the 100M, 200M, and 400M, setting a Meet Record in the 200M (21.8) in the process. He was then honored as the Rogers High School Track & Field Team MVP after setting school records in five events (100M, 200M, 400M, Triple Jump, and the 4x400M relay).

The 1983 track season saw Durr achieve national recognition as he earned an Honorable Mention as an All-American. He participated in the prestigious Golden West Invitational in Sacramento, CA, where he placed 7th in the 400M, setting the fourth-best Washington State all-time record across all divisions. That year, with a major boost from Durr’s unprecedented performances, Rogers High School won its first boys State Championship in any sport with Durr scoring 26 points in individual events and eight points as a relay anchor. He set SPSL records in the 100M, 200M, and 400M at the SPSL Sub-District Championship and was celebrated as the Athlete of the Year in 1983.

Transitioning to college, Durr attended Washington State University from 1983 to 1988 on a full track & field scholarship. He made an immediate impact by setting the WSU Freshman Record for both the indoor and outdoor 400M in 1984, qualifying for the NCAA Nationals in both events.

Despite an injury-plagued 1985 season, Durr continued to compete at a high level, representing WSU and the United States in international competitions in the Ivory Coast. An injured hamstring forced him to redshirt in 1986, but he returned strong in 1987, competing again in international meets, this time in Sweden and Finland.

After his athletic career, Durr contributed to the track and field community as a coach at Pacific Lutheran University and volunteered at Bishop Blanchet High School, Seattle Speed Track Club, Tahoma High School, and Xtreme Speed Track Club, sharing his vast experience and passion for the sport.