About David Jasiewicz: I’m David, a trainee patent attorney in our Manchester office. I have a background in chemistry and before joining Appleyard Lees I worked in a patent law firm in Japan. Outside of work I enjoy playing tennis, and more recently looking after my new born daughter.
Before I joined Appleyard Lees, I didn’t do much running. That isn’t to say I was a couch potato, but I would normally play sports such as tennis or basketball and I’d never run more than a 5k. However, after I started work at the firm in 2018, I was encouraged by some of my colleagues to join them on their weekly lunchtime run.
Unfortunately, the first time I went with my colleagues I made the mistake of eating a heavy snack before setting off. Coupled with a lack of experience pacing myself, I ended up feeling very sick on the way back! Somehow the experience didn’t put me off, and I’ve been a lunchtime run regular ever since.
Our running club was a great way to socialise with my colleagues and to let off a bit of steam during the day. Obviously we couldn’t continue during lockdown, but not wanting to lose the habit I started running in the mornings before work – in fact, I started running more frequently than before! That’s why I decided to finally have a shot at my first 10k.
Appleyard Lees usually enters a team into the Leeds 10k every year. Although some of my colleagues are very fast, runners of any ability can enter so I didn’t have to worry about not being good enough. And so, on a warm, sunny Sunday in September, I lined up for the start of the Leeds 10k with other members of Team Appleyard Lees. Luckily, as two of my colleagues were going for the same target time of 55 minutes, I was able to begin the race in the company of some familiar faces. After the halfway mark we started to spread out a little, and by the end I was more than a little red in the face!
All in all, the Leeds 10k was a great experience, as not only was I able to get to know some of my colleagues better, but I finished with a respectable time of 54:55. If it wasn’t for Appleyard Lees, it’s something I might never have tried.
