After a hiatus, the UA Law School has brought back Race to the Courthouse 5k. The race is a part of the Law School’s “Law Week” celebration and will take place on Saturday, March 26.
The race costs $15 for members of the American Bar Association and $20 for non-members. Registration begins at 8 a.m. at the UA Law School.
“The law school is excited to bring back such a fun tradition,” said Rachael Tucker, a second year law student and member of the run organizing committee. “Race to the Courthouse has always been a favorite of law students and members of the community. In the past, some participants have chosen to wear a shirt and tie while running. Lawyers are sometimes referred to as ‘ambulance chasers,’ and this year runners will be guided along the course by an ambulance. It’s just a way to make fun of ourselves and show we don’t take ourselves too seriously.”
The race is open to all who are interested and their families. The race, which is not solely for runners, is the main event on Saturday. There will also be door prizes and a $100 prize for the top overall female and male winners. Registration will be at the Law School beginning at 8 a.m. and the race will start at 9 a.m.
Professor Mary Ksobiech has been active in getting members of the UA Law School faculty to partake in the race.
“I’m excited that several professors and staff members are running, and even more are planning to cheer on the runners and walkers,” Ksobiech said in an emailed statement.
All proceeds from the race will go to the Alabama Center for Law and Civic Education.
“The law school is always stressing the importance of giving back to the community and using our time and talents to help others,” Tucker said. “We’re very excited to have the opportunity to do that here.”
According to ACLCE’s official website, the organization “is a resource and training center dedicated to educating young citizens in civic knowledge in law and government.” ACLCE has been established since 1990 and has created school and community based programs including Teen Court, a peer sentencing court, and We the People, a national constitution law program.
“Our main goal, of course, is to raise as much money as possible,” Tucker said. “But essential to the success of the event will be campus-wide participation. We hope that this will be a chance to meet and get to know other students on campus with whom we don’t normally have the opportunity to interact.”
Ksobiech said, “The student committee came to me after they noticed their classmates often became so focused on their academic goals that they forgot to take good care of themselves. By organizing a run like this, we hope to emphasize the importance of a healthy mind and body as a part of our intellectual development. Given the stellar job by this year’s committee, I hope that this race can grow in the upcoming years, perhaps including even more members of the local community.
For those interested in pre-registering or looking for more information, email Tucker at [email protected].
