Cyclists, runners and walkers of every skill level are converging on Grace Gardens this Sunday for the 2026 Chile Pepper Challenge, a decades-old El Paso cycling tradition that this year is raising money for the Alzheimer’s Association West Texas Chapter. The event, hosted by the El Paso Bicycle Club, offers four cycling routes, a 5-mile family fun ride and a 5K walk/run, welcoming everyone from serious endurance riders to families out for a casual morning.
The beneficiary choice carries real weight for the borderland. El Paso County ranked 10th highest in the nation for Alzheimer’s disease prevalence among seniors 65 and older in 2026, with 15% of the county’s older adult population diagnosed with the condition, according to the Paso del Norte Community Foundation. That local statistic sits inside a much larger statewide picture: Alzheimer’s Association data released in 2025 found that roughly 459,000 Texas residents aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s, leaning on more than 1 million unpaid family caregivers for support, as reported by KDFW FOX 4.
As KVIA ABC-7 reports, the Chile Pepper Challenge Charity Ride & 5K Walk/Run is scheduled for Sunday, September 27, at Grace Gardens, welcoming cyclists, runners, walkers, families and friends alike. Every participant receives a finisher medal, and shirts are available to the first 500 registered participants. Organizers are offering live music, food and cold beverages once riders and runners cross the finish line.
Routes for Every Rider, From Beginners to Century Veterans
The event’s four cycling routes launch on staggered schedules, according to RunSignup: the 62-mile Habanero Ride departs at 7 a.m., the 40-mile Chile Rojo Ride at 7:30 a.m., the 25-mile Chile Verde Ride at 8 a.m., and the 5-mile Family Fun Bell Pepper Ride at 8:30 a.m. A 5K walk/run follows at 9 a.m., rounding out a morning built to accommodate everyone from endurance cyclists to casual walkers…