Sidelight: Trish Newsom
March 01, 2026
SIDELIGHT

As a child, Trish Newsom had little desire to join her parents, both avid runners, in races. But she remembers her dad’s advice: “Make it to the next mailbox,” meaning finish the run one section at a time. It took about 20 years to feel a passion for running. Today, the superintendent of Tennessee’s Dayton City Schools has completed 21 marathons, including all seven World Marathon Majors in Boston, Chicago, New York, London, Berlin, Tokyo and, in 2025, Sydney. For Newsom, 56, an ܲAVƵmember since 2023, running provides stress relief and is an expression of her faith. She pushes through hard races by quoting Scripture and texting her running group for prayers. The perseverance required to finish a race carries over to work. “I’m in it for the long haul,” she says. “For me, the finish line is student success … They’re first, and I’m going to fight for that.”
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