The Athlete's Lawyer

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.

Potomac River Running Company‘s “Run with Santa” was healthy fun for all ages.  Staged at the convenient Reston Town Center Ice Rink, the Run With Santa 5K had a great festive atmosphere, hot drinks, FREE kids races, music and even a team competition.  Contested a month ago today, on Sunday, December 4th, 2011.  The Run with Santa 5k benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  The 5k loop went through the residential streets of Reston and finished at the Reston Town Center. Participants received a commemorative technical long sleeve t-shirt and a special goodie bag from Santa. Some runners dressed up in their favorite holiday costumes for the race.  (In how many races can you beat three super heroes, 4 Santas and a half-dozen elves ?!!?)  Whether you dress up in a Santa suit or dress as an elf, you will join in the festive holiday atmosphere at the Run With Santa 5k. There were awards for the best costumes!  There was a free kids fun run (a few hundred yards) with finishers receiving a finisher medal!  The fun run will took place after the 5k, just before the awards ceremony.

The “World Gators” again had the lowest total time in the Team Category, with Annie Downer and Sarah Buckheit repeating their winning ways from the Goblin Gallop 5km. The rules mandated that a team may have an unlimited number of participants and the top 4 times from team member will make up the team score.  Even though the rules required that a scoring team of 4 must have at least 1 female, the equal opportunity “World Gators” again had several women scoring !  Landau was lucky to have been able to join forces with such fine female masters runners.  Team road racing can be lots of fun.  See tomorrow’s post for more on this topic.

Not likely to medal in 3 races in 36 hours again, Herndon Reston area triathlete and trial lawyer Doug Landau will instead concentrate on major sprint races in 2012

We know of no other lawyer or law firm courageous enough to make their trial, speech or hearing schedule available so that you can see the best lawyers “in action.”  Triathlon trial lawyer Doug Landau does the same thing with his sports competition plans.  If you tell people that you are going to court, teach or race, you had better do it, and do it well.  But putting his agenda “out there,” Landau makes sure to “bring his ‘A game’” each and every time.  The best Virginia injury lawyers, like the very best athletes, declare their goals and then work very hard to achieve them.  People remember Muhammed Ali and John Newcombe for their ability to confidently predict their victories.  They backed up their “talk” by training intensely and focusing on their plan and long-term goals.  Just like the ABRAMS LANDAU trial team spends a lot of time, effort and money investing in their client’s injury trials, Doug Landau trains year-round for high-level multi-state competition. Read the rest of this entry »

Herndon injury lawyer Doug Landau raced against some tough competition in 2011; Superheroes made Herndon Virginia's "Super Lawyer" compete at his very best !

The end of the year is always a time for reflection, resolutions and thanks.  With many top 10 and 20 finishes and several overall titles, 2011 was successful.

Highlights include:

At the USAT Sprint Triathlon National Championships in Burlington, Vermont, qualified for the ITU World Championships, Auckland, New Zealand

Overall winner: North Mountain Duathlon in West Virginia; Association for Justice 5km in New York City.  Twice Winning Road Racing Team (“World Gators”) member.  Age Group Champion at 7 races in 7 states ! Also Age Group Award Winner 10 times & Read the rest of this entry »

Fairfax Virginia injury lawyer Doug Landau after finishing Sunday's Firefighters 5km. See the Triathon Trial Lawyer's road race finish on You Tube !

So what’s Doug Landau look like finishing a road race the day after hammering a CompuTrainer workout under Susan Hefler’s guidance ? Go to You Tube to see what the Herndon injury lawyer looks like at the end of Sunday’s 5km. Watch from 2:15-2:30, as the finish from this race around George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus was filmed. Read the rest of this entry »

Once a year the Herndon Golf Course allows runners on the grass.  The Turkey Trot 5k is Saturday, November 19th, with packet pickup and race day registration from 1:30-3. The annual race starts at 4pm, so runners get to sleep in !  The cost is only $15 and a can of food for donation (on race day, adults entry fee is $20 and a can of food).  Youth ages 18 & under – $15 and a can of food.  All food will be donated to LINK.  The course takes you through Herndon Centennial Golf Course grass and paved paths, parts of the W&OD paved trail and vehicular paved road.

In addition to donating food to LINK, the race will also benefit the NIKE “Reuse-A-Shoe Recycling Program.” The Herndon Community Center has been collecting used running shoes which will be Read the rest of this entry »

Herndon Virginia injury lawyer Doug Landau & his wife with one of the artificial tails made for "Winter," the dolphin whose tail was amputated and the star of the new movie "Dolphin's Tale", at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium this past May

Explaining the difference between “Make Believe Tales” and “Artificial Tails” to my nephews and niece was not an easy task.  But after seeing the wonderful new movie, “Dolphin’s Tale,” we were able to talk about the funny scenes and the serious subject of prosthetic limbs for wounded soldiers.  Because the Landau Law Shop helps injured victims get artificial limbs and other medical equipment that helps them to stand, walk and work, I was interested to see how the movie would portray the needs of the wounded dolphin.  While Read the rest of this entry »

Race Director Walter English at the City of Fairfax Fire Benevolent Fund 5k and Herndon Virginia fire and burn injury lawyer Doug Landau, who was 3rd overall

and I mean EVERYONE ! There were double strollers, dogs, GMU students with iPods plugged in and even a 5-year-old finisher ! The City of Fairfax Fire Benevolent Fund 5k Run/Walk, held at the Fairfax Virginia City Fire House #403 on University Drive took advantage of Daylight Savings and picture perfect running weather.  The Fairfax fire fighters opened up their station and put together a challenging, safe and varied 5km course, which made use of the University Drive bicycle lane to George Mason University’s rolling Fairfax County campus.

The Firefighter’s invitation read, “Come on out and race, run, walk, skip, push a stroller, pull a wagon, however you can and help raise money for a great cause!” Because Read the rest of this entry »

Zachary Hennessa, Annie Downer, & Doug Landau (R-L) after finishing the Goblin Gallop 5km run in Fairfax Virginia as part of the "World Gators" winning co-ed racing team

At the competitive Goblin Gallop 5km race contested at the Fairfax Town Center lasts weekend, a team comprised of Sport & Health Worldgate Club Masters swim group (AKA “World Gators”) members and friends teamed up to race as a co-ed team. There were over 2,000 finishers and all proceeds from the Goblin Gallop went to support the John Quadrino Foundation (to Benefit Children with Cancer).  Finishing in 18:21, Read the rest of this entry »

Washington area bicycle accident lawyer Doug Landau, of the Herndon law firm ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd., watches the Reston Grand Prix Races from the safety of his stationary bike at the Reston Virginia Town Center

A 42-year-old biker was injured while commuting from Herndon to Reston when his bicycle wheel plunged into a hole which had been dug in the bicycle path by the corporate defendants.  The cyclist was injured when he was thrown over the handlebars of his bike and onto the asphalt path.  The hole was not marked with any kind of warning, cone, paint, signal or sign which would alert bikers, runners, roller bladers, walkers, skaters, dog exercisers, and/or joggers on the bicycle path.  This hidden defect in the path was the result of work being performed by the utilities.

As the result of the bicycle going into the hole, both the bike and the helmet were destroyed.  The electrical company Read the rest of this entry »