Join us for the first “officially official” National Conference on Education Fun Run, which will take place at 6 a.m. on Feb. 15, on the streets around the San Diego Convention Center.

Many superintendents in recent years have joined me — an avid runner who tries to run as much, though not as fast, as she talks — for a run or workout when we convene in the predawn hour on the opening morning of AASA’s National Conference on Education, as well as at our summer advocacy conference in Washington, D.C.

In previous years, we have worked out with the free fitness community November Project in several AASA conference cities, and we have convened our own fun runs in a handful of places.

In 2023, we leveled up with our first big run, an opportunity to work with an outside group on a planned route with race support. Nearly 100 participated in last year’s 5K Fun Run/Walk in San Antonio, Texas.

This year, we are aiming for even more fitness fun at the conference in San Diego, Calif. We have outside sponsors supporting our effort (thanks to Age of Learning and Johnson Controls), which allows us to expand the event. We have running bibs and shirts and snacks at the end of the race. Significantly, we were able to open registration for the run when AASA opened conference registration.

The 5K Fun Run/Walk is intended for all shapes, sizes and speeds. Throw on your shoes and grab a friend because it really is the more, the merrier. The run starts at 6 a.m. on the opening morning of the AASA conference on Feb. 15 from a starting point behind the Marriott Marquis Hotel. The run/walk route will take participants along the San Diego Embarcadero.

Sign up by logging into the NCE registration page and adding your race registration. There will be limited on-site registration and running shirts can’t be guaranteed to those who wait to sign up.

Direct any questions to nellerson@aasa.org. I hope to see you out there!

(Noelle Ellerson-Ng is AASA associate executive director of advocacy and governance.)