There will be swimming and running, but no biking (unless you ride the indoor stationary bikes or hit the nearby W&OD Trail) during the Jack Corkey Memorial Aquathon at the Herndon Virginia Community Center February 25th !

A warm venue in the dead of winter is always something to perspire for if you are a multisport athlete.  The Herndon Aquathon is coming back to the Community Center on February 25th, a Saturday, in memory of our dear friend and neighbor, Jack Corkey.  In last week’s post, the details were spelled out for those interested in swimming 1/2 mile in the Herndon Community Center’s wonderful pool and then after donning shoes (& doffing swim caps if you wear one), running another 1/2 mile while enduring the cheering (and laughter) of spectators and competitors alike !  The 2012 Herndon Aquathon; mail in or drop off entries only, and we will be closing registration when the field is full.  So get your entries in today and start practicing running in water up to your chest with your hands under the surface – it’s quite a workout !  If there are questions, please e-mail or call me.  We hope to see many smiling faces at the Herndon Virginia Community Center for the Jack Corkey Memorial Aquathon.

American record-holder Alan Webb cannot be seen in this picture because of his accident coming off the final turn. George Mason University runner George Empty (center of photo) ran a strong race and won the 800 at today's Patriot Games held at the Fairfax Virginia college's indoor track

In today’s indoor track meet at George Mason University (“GMU”) several outstanding post-collegiate athletes competed at the college’s Fairfax Virginia field house.  The “Patriot Games” showcased talent from over a dozen Mid-Atlantic universities. In the women’s 800, Northern Virginia masters champion and Washington Running Report   columnist Alisa Harvey ran a brilliant race and in the 1,000, New Balance athlete Lauren Centrowitz ran away from the field. But when the announcer told the athletes and spectators that high school mile record holder Alan Webb of Reston Virginia’s South Lakes High School was going to contest the seeded 800, the crowd stood up in anticipation of a great race.

The first heat of the indoor half mile looked to be a hotly contested event.  With some shoving around the first turn, Webb was boxed in and a GMU runner was in the lead and looking strong.  Webb made up ground over the middle 2 laps.  As the runners were rounding the last turn, Webb began his sprint to the finish from the outside.  The next thing my daughter and I noticed was Webb skidding across the track straightaway.  This world class runner had had an accident on a track where he had logged many miles and set records.  He got up and made a dash for the line, however the lead GMU runner, George Empty, was already home in 1:53 to the delight of the home crowd.  Webb crossed the line upset and screamed out. My youngest daughter asked, “Did he just drop the F-bomb ?!!?”  (At her high school they are taught to “Function in Disaster and Finish in Style” so this would be an unthinkable breach of good sportsmanship.)  It did not appear that Webb was injured or even that he had any “road rash” like my clients who are knocked from their bikes or while running exhibit for days and weeks afterwards.

We considered the options.  It did not appear that there was a complaint of a foul or disqualification.  Perhaps the world-class runner would enter another, later track event (like the 1,000 or 3,000, or even the third heat of the men’s 800 !). Many indoor track athletes run more than one event, especially in the high school and collegiate ranks, where scoring points for their schools is important. Certainly Webb must have the endurance and strength to collect himself and get back on the track to show his mettle.  After all, did Simon Whitfield get up from a bike crash and win the first Olympic Gold Medal in the sport of Triathlon, with an amazing kick over the last several hundred meters in Sydney ?  I also thought of Lance Armstrong and his infamous “crash-drenalin,” and that Webb would use the frustration and pain from his accident to run a better race later today.  And I thought of ABRAMS LANDAU clients, who bravely get up after their own accidents, overcome disabling injuries and pain, and “get back on track” with their lives, their families with new jobs and new goals.  After their own crashes, many of my clients have been able to overcome adversity and get over their losses and the harms caused by other’s unsafe decisions.  I am continually inspired by the men and women who come to us for help, but often help us to remember the miraculous strength of the human spirit.

Final results from today’s meet can be found at the George Mason University Track & Field page.

The 2012 Herndon Aquathon will be in memory of our dear friend & neighbor Jack Corkey, shown here with Ken & Doug Landau, at the Herndon Virginia Great Harvest Bakery

Dear Friends, Team mates, Training partners & Poseurs:

So that you can race in warm conditions in a unique event that was contested in the 1990s, we are bringing back the Herndon Community Center Aquathon in memory of our dear friend Jack Corkey of Great Harvest Bread. You can even shower, hot tub, sauna, work out more after !

WHEN: Saturday, February 25, 2012 (Warm-ups: 6 to 7am, Start Time: 7:15am)

WHAT: All water biathlon starts with a half mile swim (18 laps) immediately followed by a half mile water run (with shoes, up to chest height, with waters under the surface). It is the perfect multi-sport event because it takes place entirely indoors. It’s a great workout that’s a lot of fun.
How does the race work?

The race is run in a heat format. Each athlete is seeded according to their estimated swim time. Swim times are projected on each entry form. Each heat will be made up of 16 people. Swim lanes will be made up of no more than 4 people to a lane. Swimmers will be started at 5 second intervals. After completing the ½ mile swim, athletes will go to their pre-assigned run lane where they will immediately put on shoes & begin their ½ mile run. This is a “draft legal” race. Run lanes are assigned according to the height of each athlete. The race is completed when the wall is touched after their last length of the run.

What are the Age-Groups?

Awards will be given in the following age-groups; Male and Female 12-14, 15-19,20-24,25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60 and over. The top three overall men and women finishers will receive prizes. All participants will receive specially designed boxers. (That’s right, Lawyer Landau is giving out BRIEFS to participants and volunteers !!!)

WHERE: Herndon Community Center, 814 Ferndale Avenue, Herndon, Virginia

Registration Information: Entry deadline is 10:00pm, Tuesday, February 21, 2012. There is no race day registration. Hope to see you there racing, volunteering, cheering & laughing. doug

P.S. Questions, suggestions ? Send me an e-mail.

Transition Triathlon Store in Leesburg, just off the W&OD Trail has almost everything a multisport athlete would need to train and race ; plus free seminars & wetsuit rental !

Doug Landau and his family visited Transition Triathlon Store and came away with Newton running shoes, gifts and replacement parts that are hard to find in retail stores in Northern Virginia. Transition Triathlon, Loudoun’s new triathlon store in Leesburg is just a few yards from the W&OD trail. In addition to being convenient (how many stores can you bike to and do your multisport shopping ?!!?), it carries apparel, nutrition, accessories for swim, bike, run training, racing and …WETSUITS for RENT!

Come in to try one on and reserve your size for your event. Transitions rental rate is $35/week ($5/additional day). You can even apply your rental fee to the purchase of a new suit within one week of your rental return.

Transitions has a lot of space at their store. There are Yoga, Training sessions and Classes: Check out the event calendar, including their popular series of free clinics (i.e., bike maintenance, Newton Running, etc.). Stay on track during the off-season with their indoor conditioning classes.

Herndon Virginia triathlete and trial lawyer Doug Landau advises disabled athletes to avoid so-called "injury lawyers" who do not actually go to court, do not contribute their time and effort to victims' groups, do not have staff or offices and who can only "talk the talk"

One of the rules at the Herndon law firm ABRAMS LANDAU is the “KISS Rule” – Keep It Shortt & Simple ! So if you are considering a lawyer for your injury case, do not walk out, but RUN (like Forrest Gump !) if they have:

• A big butt (from sitting all day in their comfy office instead of actually getting out to to court, the crash scenes, their clients’ homes or workplaces or exercising their body and minds);
• Cannot tell you when you can see them “in action” (see above!)
• Does not or has not actually competed (so they do not know what it is like to be in your running, cycling, tennis or aqua shoes);
• Does not belong, contribute and teach/participate in their STATE Trial Lawyer Associations and the National TLA that advocate in the legislatures for victims, who otherwise would have no voice (such as the American Association for Justice, the DC or Virginia Trial Lawyers);
• If they have to advertise in yellow pages, TV,radio, newspapers & billboards to get new clients (meaning their past clients do not think much of them and therefore do not refer friends, family or acquaintances when they need legal help)
• No real office, no real staff, no real presence (this really hacks me off, especially when a so-called personal injury or disability lawyer has a nice office that is not handicap access or does not have their names identified inside and out);
• Just as one good race does not make a career for a great athlete, the best injury lawyers have many good results, care deeply about what they do, and are constantly trying to become even better (and helping others to be better as well)

If you come into a lawyer who has any of the above, do not walk out – RUN FORREST RUN !

Find a real trial lawyer who can invest the necessary time, effort, staff and money in your case. Poseurs can caused needless harm in the peloton as well as the courts, so keep a safe distance. You will not be sorry you did.

Even injured trial lawyers like Brian Buckelew of Atlanta Georgia know the importance of staying active even when in a cast

Just as Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau has little patience for so-called personal injury lawyers who do not go to court, do not try cases, do not adequately prepare (or do so on the cheap), do not have real offices or staff, he also keeps his enthusiasm for so-called sports medicine specialists who needlessly sideline their patients.  For example, when an injured triathlete was placed in a hard plastic walking cast, not having him exercise his upper body with weights, machines and an ergometer was a mistake.  Likewise, not having the athlete exercise the non-injured side with one-legged seated or sitting stationary cycling would simply mean that the injured athlete would have significant atrophy and wasting of the musculature as well as a significant loss of aerobic capacity.  Once it is safe to do so, supervised stretching, strength training and aerobic exercise of the unaffected areas can speed the healing process and reduce the loss of hard-earned training gains.  Furthermore, training intelligently while an arm or lead is healing, can reduce weight gain and the likelihood of rein jury due to increased body mass with reduced muscle and tendon strength.  Consider this if you are injured and discuss these issues with your health care providers, as every patient, and every athlete have different needs and concerns.  But sitting around, doing nothing, may produce just that – nothing!

All 6 Landaus participated in the Manhattan Beach California xMas 5km, including the "barefoot barrister" Doug Landau !

In the Fall issue of SPOKES magazine Herndon injury lawyer Doug Landau was called the “Bicycling Barrister” because of his heavy schedule of cases (representing cyclists injured in crashes) and races.  As he trains barefoot, when weather and surface conditions permit, lawyer Landau jumps at the chance to race without running shoes.  Notable barefoot races include winning the Playa Del Race beach sprint in California in 2010 and the Madeira Beach, Florida 5km in 2011.  This year the whole Landau family was able to participate in the XMAS DAY 5K! Manhattan Beach Yuletide 5K Run/Walk and Kids Dash.

As the Landau family had to catch the “red eye” flight back to Dulles Airport, this race, close to LAX, was the perfect antidote to reverse “jet lag.”  The race, which started in the dark under Manhattan Beach Pier, followed the shore illuminated by luminary and mile markers.  When the racers turned around, the pier was lit up and guided them home.  Melissa commented that, “it was like running along glass, as the silvery water and moonless light resulted in pure darkness interrupted by the little candles in paper bags.”  Further adding to the surreal event were the glow Necklaces for all participants!

The promotional materials called on Los Angeles area runners to “Celebrate the holidays and the Winter Solstice at the most unusual running event in LA. Run on Christmas Day afternoon or evening under the stars. Bring the whole family and run/walk during the lowest tide of the season. The entire course will be lit by real LUMINARIAS, and glow necklaces to all participants. Race out and back along the water’s edge and enjoy a magnificent sunset or starry sky. Stay and play at the many fine bars and restaurants in downtown Manhattan Beach. You won’t find anything else like it!”

Always up to take advantage of warm weather West Coast running, Landau ran the race barefoot.  The family made their flight with ease (after showering nearby) and it is one of the few sporting events where the entire Landau family participated, with several top age group finishes.  One of the benefits of running on softer surfaces is the reduced “delayed onset muscle soreness” (DOMS) which is quite noticeable after pounding, especially downhill, during long road races on concrete.  Zach Landau even went in the cold water post race, which may have further reduced his soreness in the days that followed.  Triathlon Trial Lawyer Landau heartily recommends the Manhattan Beach Xmas races (there is one at 3 in the afternoon, for those who want to run before supper in the light!), with or without shoes !

Triathlete and coach Brian Clark and Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau of the Herndon law firm ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd., trade training tips at the RATS Annual Ironman party

The ringing of bells on the feet of thousands of runners echoed on the streets of the Nation’s Capitol on December 11th.  The Jingle Bell 8km road race took place at Freedom Plaza during the “Occupy Washington” encampment, much to the surprise of the tent inhabitants and racers !  It was a tad ironic that Habitat for Humanity of Washington, DC, which works to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness in the nation’s capital by building affordable, energy efficient homes for families in need, was the beneficiary of the event.

Runners participating in the 7th Annual Jingle All the Way 8K  enjoyed a crystal clear day and a great view of the Capitol as they ran down Pennsylvania Avenue. Capital Running Company brought this holiday-themed 8K race to Washington, DC which had over 400 first timers racers!  There were lots of post-race treats and it was wonderful to “tour” the Capitol on foot without any vehicular traffic.  This was the last big 8K race of the year and the third race in the Capital Running Race Series.

Kevin Kunkel of the Reston Area Triathletes was all smiles at the RATS annual Bonzai Kona Ironman Triathlon party

The Reston Area Triathlon Club, otherwise known as RATS had their annual “IronMan watching party” during the broadcast of the Kona Hawaii race.  The club allowed Doug Landau to attend at the December 10th Bonzai Bike and Multisport Store party, where a large projection screen was set up and food served.  Triathlete Coach Brian Clark enlisted Landau to help prepare burgers, buns and sausages, and “war stories” about races and training adventures filled the evening during the commercials.  Landau also presented RATS President Kevin Kunkel with a check towards their good works.  Landau and “Kona Kev” see each other training regularly at the Sport & Health Club at Worldgate in Herndon, Virginia as well as during Reston Bike Club evening rides and races when the weather is warmer.

The Herndon injury lawyer also told RATS members about the Herndon law firm ABRAMS LANDAU‘s free bike helmet program for schools as well as for individual local children who cannot afford head protection.

From the club’s web site:

About RATS:  The Reston Area Triathletes, or RATS, started during triathlon’s first boom in the early 1980s. The club was re-started in February of 2001 with some of the original members working with some newer triathletes in the area. The informal club grew out of the long-standing weekly bike ride that follows the Reston Masters Saturday swim workout. While most members live or work in the Reston area (including Sterling, Vienna, Oakton, Cascades, and Ashburn), there are members from Arlington, Chantilly, and even Maryland.

RATS hosts several events throughout the year, offered first to members and subsequently to non-members. These are semi-organized training days with door-prizes raffled off to those who attend. RATS became an official USAT club in October of 2002 and now has more than 100 members. Almost 1,000 people subscribe to our publicly available email list. To subscribe simply send an email to trirats-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. For more information contact info@trirats.net

Northern Virginia trial lawyer & triathlete Doug Landau and National Road Running League director & "DC Running Coach" Mike Hamberger at the USAT Duathlon National Championships, Mason, Ohio

Picking on yesterday’s post, running as a team can be lots of fun.  After college and graduate school, it’s hard to find other working adults to run with if you are not a member one of the excellent local running clubs, such as the DC Road Runners Club, the Potomac Valley Masters, Montgomery Road Runners, etc.  However, these clubs are very large, and can field several teams at the races.  I have run for the DCRRC at the National Masters Cross Country Championships in Maryland and been on teams with President Bob Platt and others.  But being on a smaller team that runs several races in a season can be a different experience.

DC Running Coach Mike Hamberger has once again put together a series of road races of varying distances, including some short events (a mile and a 2-miler!) so that those of us who are “unattached” (other than to our spouses and “significant others”) can still compete after University.  Check out the NRRL Series schedule and gather your mates to enter this competitive area series.  You may find that you intended to run in some of these road events any way, so doing so as a team gives you “extra value” and incentive to train and run your best.  Good luck to everyone at these fine races.