After having read about a third of this technical book, Landau notes, “this is one of the few sports training books that I have read that has advanced sports medicine, training regimen and sound science.”  As a direct result of what he learned from the book, Landau had his 5 minute, 1 minute and 5 second maximum Watts tested, to go along with his 20 and 60 minute FTP (“Functional Threshold Power”) test numbers.  He also underwent SpinScan testing and learned from Mr. Pelletier how to make his bicycling pedal stroke more fluid and powerful.  So if you are interested in taking your cycling to the next level, check out HPC if you are local, and/or look into this Velo Press book.

Shown here (R->L) are Broadlands Sprint Triathlon Champion Doug “Mano” Steele, Reston Sprint Triathlon Champion Henry Tragle and West Virginia Duathlon Champ Doug Landau, after a challenging HPC Computrainer Power Meter training session in Herndon, Virginia.

Sledding can be a fun winter sports activity, but before getting on a sled, make sure you are familiar with the terrain, the course and the sled

As a kid, one of my favorite winter pastimes was sledding.  My friends and I would go sledding whenever school was cancelled for a “snow day.”  We would take the first several runs slowly, so as to familiarize ourselves with the day’s conditions.  We would then walk up the hill, noting where there were “bare spots” or other dangers.  Only after a few “warm up” runs and familiarization with the course’s terrain would we start trying for maximum speed in this exciting winter sport.  So I was saddened to read of the devastating injuries caused by a sled accident.

The plaintiff in the case injured his spinal cord when he slid into a parking sign while sledding with his family at a Sertoma Park.  The man suffered spinal injuries and is paralyzed from the waist down after the crash on the sled. According to the injured winter sports participant’s counsel, the plaintiff attempted to stop the sled when he spotted the sign but could not.  The injured man lost his job and the family lost their home as a result of the accident.  The sledding injury lawsuit was settled when the Sioux City, Iowa, city council agreed to pay $487,632 to settle a lawsuit in addition to $1.97 million from the insurance company and an additional $300,000 from a third party according to news reports

Double Down Race Directors presented Herndon Injury Lawyer Doug Landau with his medal after he completed the Runners Den 5km and 10km races in Phoenix, Arizona before the Association fort Justice CLE sessions resumed

Just as the best trial lawyers plan successful case trials well in advance, top endurance athletes often decide on pace, nutrition, gear and even sleep well before the day of the race.  Such was the case with today’s race, where sprint specialist Doug Landau was going to be running over a half-marathon in total distance.  Rather than run with other lawyers at the Scottsdale Convention site, Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau chose to run in the competitive 34th Annual Runners Den 5k and 10k races in Phoenix, Arizona.  To do so successfully, the Herndon sports injury lawyer had to contend with the time change, jet lag, racing twice in the same morning and a busy CLE schedule.

Landau, who has won a number of prizes in lawyer and law meeting sports events, opted to take on local racers and compete in the “Double Down” competition.  Melissa and Doug’s “Double Down” entry fee went to several good causes, one of which was “Girls on the Run” (“GTR”). Doug has participated in “Girls on the Run” events on the East Coast, and this was an opportunity to support GOTR in the SouthWest.  The objective of Girls on the Run is to educate and empower girls at an early age in order to prevent the display of at-risk activities in the future. At risk activities include substance/alcohol use, eating disorders, early onset of sexual activity, sedentary lifestyle, depression, suicide attempts and confrontations with the juvenile justice system.  Click here for more information about Girls on the Run of Maricopa County

After attending Continuing Legal Education at 6:30 AM (!) the Landaus drove past the Forge Convention Fun Run to Paradise Valley.  Herndon Virginia injury lawyer Doug Landau was able to medal in the 5km race, average under 7 minutes per mile in the 10 km and was 21st (and the top out of state finisher) of the 119 finishers of the prestigious “Double Down” competition. Landau, of the Herndon law firm ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd., is shown in the photo with the Runners Den Race Directors collecting his “hardware” before returning to learn at the Association for Justice meetings. The Landaus were able to return to the Convention site in time for inspiring presentations and networking and problem-solving with the best trial lawyers from all over the United States.

Too much exercise can be counter productive and put you on your butt ! Plan rest, nutrition and recuperation as carefully as you plan your workouts and you will avoid overuse injury

Having studied exercise physiology, I am often taken aback by some of the extreme forms of training and competition being promoted by so-called “sports gurus.”  The are recipes for injury, disability and worse.  While the human body is indeed a miraculous collection of systems, it is not immortal and our bodies need time to rest and recuperate after the stresses of sports training and athletic competition.  Because I think I have got a pretty good grasp of my own body’s ability to recover, you will not see this Triathlon Trial Lawyer taking part in running races longer than a marathon, Iron Man triathlons and other “ultra endurance” events.  Even if I could finish, it would take me weeks to recover.

A recent New York Times article examined this interesting topic.  In “Personal Best: Workouts Have Their Limits, Recognized or Not,” Gina Kolata looked at some of the extreme sports training regimens.  The following excerpts are worthwhile:

“People think a good workout is, ‘I am in a pile of sweat and puking,’ ” said William Kraemer, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut. But if that happens, he said, “it means you went much too quickly, and your body just can’t meet its demands.” It’s not so easy to strike the right balance between exertion and rest, researchers say. Do too little, and the results may be disappointing. Experienced athletes know that the only way to improve is to push yourself. Lift weights that are heavier than those you’ve tried before. Run or cycle at a fast pace on some days, but focus on increasing your distance on others. Work out enough that you may not fully recover between sessions.

You should feel tired, said John Raglin, a sports psychologist at Indiana University. But if you do too much with too little rest, your performance gets worse, not better. “Serious athletes recognize these issues — whether they respond to them or not is another matter,” Dr. Raglin said. “A lot of recreational athletes really have no idea.” When they train harder yet stop improving, even backslide, “they become alarmed and try to increase their training,” Dr. Raglin said. He sees it over and over: An athlete will get into a training schedule and become very dogmatic, never taking a day off. “The importance of recovery is a big topic in exercise science,” Dr. Raglin said. “It hasn’t filtered down to the serious recreational athlete.”

Muscles need to recover after they are stressed with heavy weights, Dr. Kraemer noted. Researchers have long known that the way to build strength is what they call periodization: Rest days and easier days and weeks are interspersed with periods when the weights are increased. In endurance sports, muscles experience a different kind of stress, said Dr. Bengt Saltin, director of the Copenhagen Muscle Research Center at the University of Copenhagen. But the problem with intense exertion day after day is very similar. Intense endurance exercise depletes muscles of their energy supply, glycogen. Muscles store enough glycogen only for an hour and a half to two hours of activity, Dr. Saltin said.

It takes a day for trained endurance athletes to replenish glycogen. Athletes with less training have less of the enzyme that restores glycogen — glycogen synthetase. It can take up to two days for them to restore this muscle fuel. In addition, connective tissue in muscles can be damaged and needs time to recover. In a study of runners in an annual local race that is a bit longer than two marathons, Dr. Saltin and his colleagues found that the athletes’ muscles lost their elasticity as their connective tissues weakened. Running got harder and harder, so much so that the energy required for a set pace at the end of the race was 50 percent higher than it had been at the start.

Dr. Raglin said even the experts, researchers like himself who study overtraining, had trouble defining the symptoms. Psychological changes are the most consistent signs of a problem, he said. In the early stages of overtraining, athletes constantly feel tired; by the end stage, they may be nagged by depression. Recreational athletes must be attuned to their fatigue, Dr. Raglin said. If it persists for several days, they should take a day off or simply do a lot less during workouts. A diary or notes on how they feel can help.

Melissa and Doug Landau will be participating in the "Double Down" races this weekend in support of Down Syndrome

Ever one for unique racing opportunities and supporting worthwhile charities, Melissa and Doug Landau will be participating in the “Double Down” races this weekend.  The Landaus will once again toe the line for a wonderful cause and “exercise their legal rights” !  Known as one of the best running lawyers in Virginia, the Triathlon Trial Lawyer will be in Arizona for the Association for Justice Winter meeting along with other top lawyers from around the country.  This Sunday is the 34th annual Runner’s Den Classic Road Races at Paradise Valley Mall, 4568 E. Cactus Road in Phoenix, Arizona.  In addition to the usual prizes for top finishers in the 5km and 10km. races, for those hardy souls who race in BOTH events, there are Awards to Top Ten Male and Female combined time “Double Down” finishers.  Doug and Melissa Landau are entered in the infamous “Double Down” combined 10k & 5k, as Mrs. Landau is a long distance specialist with several half marathons to her credit, and the “Triathlon Trial Lawyer” needs to get in shape for several National Championship races and the Sprint Triathlon World Championships in New Zealand in October.

Proceeds from the race go to “Sharing Down Syndrome – Arizona“.  According to their web site, the Mission of Sharing Down Syndrome Arizona is “to educate and empower, but especially give hope to individuals who have Down syndrome (and their families who love them) so these children may grow up to become independent self-advocates. We promote positive acceptance, understanding and inclusion is embraced by all as we celebrate each life.”

Top age group road racer Sarah Buckheit and Doug Landau were winners at the "Blue Jay 5km and Heroes" races in Manassas Virginia

Even though he finished in the top 5 out of over 275 entrants, running 19:26 on a “rolling” and curvy 5km course, Landau would rather not have been called out on being in the race’s most senior category: “50 and over.”  On October 22, 2011 the Pennington School in Manassas Virginia hosted it’s 1st Annual “Blue Jay 5K and Hero Mile” races.  The goal of these events was to raise educational funds for children of fallen police officers.  The folks at Racepacket lead by former DC Road Runners Club President Bob Platt, did a superb job of organizing the events and timing services.  The women’s winner along with Landau was the consistent (and young looking) Sarah Buckheit.

Now that triathlon season is over, Herndon injury lawyer Doug Landau will be maintaining his fitness by: racing in road running races throughout the United States; getting to practice with the “World Gators” Masters swim group at the Sport & Health Club in Herndon’s Worldgate Center; and, training with the teenage phenoms on the CompuTrainers at HPC just 2 blocks from the Landau Law Shop.

So, with swimming being a potential “trigger” and caffeine known to cause irregular heart beats (or “ectopic foci”), I looked for deaths associated with energy drink consumption and sport.  According to the Sport Journal, when these are reported, they seem to be isolated cases involving multiple servings with high levels of caffeine.  For example, according to Rice University over 15 years ago, one study looked at the whether caffeine intake increased the risk of heart disease. Over 45,000 people were evaluated and the data indicated a slightly increased risk of death from heart disease in individuals who had an average daily consumption of more than 5 cups of *decaffeinated* coffee.

As a trial lawyer who must present evidence with sufficient reliability to pass muster in court, the question becomes, “How can we know for sure if the combination of intense swimming, changing suddenly from a vertical position to a horizontal one, sudden increase in stress and anxiety, coupled with significant caffeine intake will lead to a cardio-pulmonary event or syncope ?”   While testing on a swimming ergometer (VASA or similar equipment) with a sufficiently large number of subjects and placebos such as would yield statistically significant results, the fact that actual competition can occur in very cold or hot water and the athletes do not always get “air” every time they breath.  The added stress of ingesting water during intense aquatic competition could be another piece of the puzzle.  Certainly further study is warranted, and all athletes should have regular physical exams.

Like the bride & groom (who share a bicycle built for 2) that adorned Herndon bike injury lawyer Doug Landau's wedding cake, Trucks, Cars & Motorcycles must learn to share the road

Truck vs. Bike – Guess who loses ?  The YouTube from the DC biker’s helmetcam (Caution: Profanity) resonates with many of us who have ridden on DC metro area roads, commuted by bicycle and seen inexplicable road rage, distracted driving and other dangerous maneuvers by motorists.  The troubling incident was discussed on the Landau Injury Law site.

I do not believe I have ever posted a comment to YouTube, but this video should be “Exhibit A” to those who contend bikers are not endangered by truck drivers or ridden off the road.  After reviewing the film with my own bride (and bicycling partner for life) I wrote:

“With cars parked in the left lane, traffic relatively light in the other 2 lanes, I would have ridden a safe, straight line in the same situation.  I have seen how devastating the injuries are from being “doored” & many motorists do not pay attention to bicycles riding inches from the curb.  So when the biker is forced to go left to get around parked cars, they can get “clipped” by motorists paying more attention to cars on their left and straight ahead.  If we want to curb unsafe conduct by people driving trucks, cars & motorcycles, then responsibility must be taken when they unnecessarily endanger others.”

P.S. If this had been a child riding to school & permanently injured, what would we make of the trucker’s cowardice then ?”

Target recalls to repair Embark Resistance Cords due to injury hazard

As of September 9th Target issued a voluntary recall of about 447,000 units of one of their products.  The Embark Resistance Cords were sold between July 2009 and August 2011.  It has since been discovered there is a defect in the plastic ball which was used to create a door-hold.  The plastic ball’s defect can cause the product to spring free and strike the user in the eye.  Sadly, there are been three injuries, two of which have left the users with some permanent vision loss.  All user should stop use of the product IMMEDIATELY and contact the company ((800) 440-0680 or Target.com) for information of how to proceed.

For more information regarding the this recall check out this article and the report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.  For any legal questions concerning recall injuries please respond to this post or contact us at (703) 796-9555 or email us.

Usually excited for the swim to get underway, Reston triathletes will not compete in Lake Audubon this weekend due to safety issues

Due to the torrential rains that have struck Northern Virginia, the dedicated directors of the annual Reston Triathlon have decided to eliminate the swim for only the second time in the popular multisport event’s history.  The following was posted on the Reston Triathlon Association‘s web site:

Swim portion of the 28th annual Reston Triathlon has been canceled. Our lake official has been checking the lake since yesterday and has come to the decision that in the interest of safety it is not safe to swim in the lake…there is widespread disappointment but “Safety Is First.”

All racers will be notified by email of the cancellation and of plans for a replacement run as soon as the board has met to determine the details.

Triathlon Trial Lawyer, All American Triathlete and Virginia Triathlon Series (“VTS”) race sponsor Doug Landau adds that racers should also be mindful of debris on the roads when cycling, and perhaps “preview” the course once again since the storms have ended.  Tight turns with washout, leaves, bark and other organic matter on the pavement and an early morning start can all contribute to less traction on the road surface.  “Let’s all bike safely – the Reston Triathlon race directors cannot sweep every centimeter of the race course, and road flooding requires extra vigilance on the part of all participants.” adds Herndon Reston lawyer Landau.  “In light of these changed conditions and as I have at least 2 more VTS competitions this season, I am not going to be putting the ‘pedal to the metal’ Sunday.  I encourage all participants to enjoy the race, the shwag and the comraderie and ride safely.”