David Jaffe, associate dean of student affairs at AU’s Washington College of Law, was among one million Americans who ran a 5K on Thanksgiving Day 2020. After turkey trots gave way to tryptophan, Jaffe, WCL/JD ’93, laced up his sneakers again and ran another 5K on Black Friday—then another on Saturday. Over the next month he completed 30 consecutive 5Ks, averaging a 9:15 mile and crossing the finish line for the final time on Christmas Day.
Three years and 280 miles later, a marathon month of 5Ks during one of the most indulgent and stressful times of the year has become an annual tradition for Jaffe. He serves as cochair of the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Lawyers Have Heart, a philanthropic organization that formed in 1991 after a Washingtonian cover story claimed otherwise. In 2022 he raised more than $13,000 for AHA, surpassing his goal by 30 percent and finishing second for donations among 268 participants.
“I believe that positive mental health supports a strong heart,” says Jaffe, who celebrates his 30th anniversary with WCL this year. “And conversely, when your heart is struggling, physically or emotionally, that affects your mental health.” That connection is especially acute for lawyers, according to a 2022 study, which found that more than 45 percent of attorneys experience depression at some point during their careers—the result of long hours and stressful caseloads.
“My mantra has always been: Find something positive and helpful that works for you,” Jaffe says. He has opened that valve for WCL students for whom running is a conduit for self-care. Every Saturday morning, Jaffe organizes a 5K at Peirce Mill in DC’s Rock Creek Park for WCL students, alumni, and friends.
“It’s the one time that I promise myself that I’ll run every week, no matter how busy my schedule is,” says Sindi Connell, a first-year WCL student and former army officer who turned to running after basic training to help process the stressors of the military.
“That carries through now to law school—[except] nobody tells me I have to be fast anymore,” Connell says with a chuckle. “I can just go whatever pace is enjoyable that day.”
The law school also hosts mindfulness meditation, yoga, and mocktail mixology classes throughout the year for those whose hearts aren’t into running.