Paratriathlete Jose Ramos and Masters triathlete Doug Landau at the USA Triathlon and Olympic Committee reception in Washington, D.C.

While able-bodied athletes like Olympian Hunter Kemper appear on Wheaties cereal boxes, Paratriathletes like Jose Rios inspire us all.  Herndon Virginia lawyer and multisport athlete Doug Landau had an opportunity to speak with this engaging young hero and learn about the efforts being made by the American Paratriathlon competitors.  The U.S. Olympic Committee (“USOC”) and USA Triathlon (“USAT”) invited Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau to attend an exclusive reception this week at the Capital Hilton in Washington, DC.  Rob Urbach, CEO of USA Triathlon, Senator Scott Brown (Mass.) and other luminaries from the multi-sport community spoke in order to raise awareness of the needs of the American Olympic and Paralympic teams.  It is more expensive for paratriathletes to travel and compete.  As the USOC does not receive government funding, private contributions are necessary for these amazing sportsmen and sportswomen.

Official technical training of USA Para-triathlon has begun in anticipation of the Rio De Janeiro 2016 Paralympics, where the sport will make its debut in the Games in Brazil. In May of last year, the Challenged Athletes Foundation’s (“CAF”) Dodge/CAF Para Triathlon Camp saw a number of  athletes refine their technical abilities. The participants were taught how to get the most out of training, how to practice proper nutrition and how to race effectively. Among the participants were nine members of CAF’s Operation Rebound which assists permanently injured military and first responders. “This was by far the best time investment I have made in my triathlon journey,” said Jose Ramos, a retired Navy Corpsman who lost his arm below the elbow in during the war in Iraq in 2004.  Ramos joined the Navy to become a Hospital Corpsman in 2000.  He served along side Marines as a platoon “Doc,” serving a tour in Afghsanistan and 2 tours in Iraq.  In addition to losing his left arm after being hit by a rocket, the Arlington Virginia resident suffered nerve damage in his left leg and bulging discs in his back.  He used sports in his rehabilitation to get outside of the hospital environment; after only 4 months after this injury, he ran the NYC Marathon !  Truly inspiring.

For ways to give to the Challenged Athletes Foundation, click here.

Bikes like this could make it easy to do grocery and other local shopping errands. It would be "economically environmentally friendly exercise" notes biker and cycling advocate Doug Landau of ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd., Herndon, Virginia

Bikers who commute to the store on two wheels may be subsidizing their counterparts who choose to drive their Hummers and large SUVs to the grocery and other shopping venues.  According to Bicycle Benefits Advocate Dillon Kleptetar’s excellent piece in the Sunday Washington Post’s “Local Opinions” section, drivers at grocery stores “across the nation, drivers do not bear the true economic costs of their choices, let alone the environmental ones. Instead , the supermarket takes the cost of providing the parking and, since we all pay the same prices for grocery items,” the bikers are paying for the drivers’ use of the parking lot.  The bike advocate notes that “cyclists, walkers and those who take the public transit subsidize the parking of those who don’t.”  I commend the rest of this piece to your consideration.  Just like the “Paper or plastic” bags issue, when consumers must “foot the bill,” consideration of the environment are brought to the foreground.  It makes for thought provoking reading.

This is the seventh consecutive year of the annual protest in which cyclists take to the streets in Lima to bring attention to the unsafe conditions for cyclists in the Peruvian capital.  Bike crash injury lawyer Doug Landau hoped that all of the nude cyclists were wearing their helmets.  Lawyer Landau considers helmets head protection and not just clothing, so that the cycling safety advocates would wear their lids and still technically be “in the buff.”  Sun screen would also be a good idea !

Rehab 2 Racing Coach Rob Colburn and Columbia Triathlon Race Director Rob Vigorito at last years DC MultiSport Expo

Last year triathletes, Duathletes and DC area runners, bikers and swimmers flocked to Georgetown Prep in North Bethesda, MD for a day dedicated to multisport with seminars, training clinics, workshops, competitive events and more.  Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau enjoyed the Newton running clinic, cross country foot race and the CompuTrainer cycling competition.  Keynoting this year’s event is 6x Ironman World Champion Dave Scott. Best of all, admission to the seminars and vendor expo is FREE.  Multisport World registrants are eligible for a swag bag and a chance to win some terrific prizes from sponsors.  Here are the details so that you can carpool with your race mates and enjoy a day of sports education, competition and inspiration:

Saturday March 24, 2012 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM EDT
Hanley Center for Athletic Excellence
10900 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, MD 20852-329

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

Top trial lawyers from around the country took part in the "Wheels of Justice" Arizona mountain bike ride

Not content to site on their butts during the Association for Justice (“AAJ”) Winter meeting, over 50 top trial lawyers mounted off road bikes and headed into the Arizona high desert for the first annual “Wheels of Justice” ride.  While the AAJ Continuing Legal Education seminars and presentations are inspiring, wheeling through the desert enabled the lawyers and their families to get an education and experience of a different kind.

High Desert mountain biking featured breathtaking 360 degree views and the magnificent Arizona sky

As I had only ridden my own mountain bike on roads, in triathlons or the W&OD Trail’s cinder horse path, I was nervous about jumping “water logs”, catching cacti needles or crashing.  However, thanks to the experienced Arizona Outback Adventure (“AOA”)
guides, everyone had a wonderful time.  AOA provided well-maintained mountain bikes, gloves, water, cages, friendly, experienced guides and, near and dear to the Triathlon Trial Lawyer’s heart (and head !), helmets for everyone.

Everyone finished the "Wheels of Justice" High Desert Challenge Mountian Bike ride, sponsored by Stratton Faxon, even the youngest bikers from New York City !

There were thrills, and spills, but only minor casualties.  The bike ride, sponsored by the Stratton Faxon law firm should become an annual event.  The AAJ Bicycle Litigation Group has had road bike tours at past Conventions in San Francisco, Maui, and those rides also provided top injury lawyers from all over the country to network, learn from each other outside of the classroom.  The Connecticut trial law firm arranged for an exceptional time for everyone, and considering that personal injury lawyers file “Complaints” in court every day, that is high praise for the High Desert Bike Challenge indeed !  Perhaps I will even get to ride with Michael Stratton and other lawyers from the New England trial law firm team when next I am up in Litchfield County.

Every Vasa bike rider gets HOT berry soup, courtesy of the Swedish Embassy located in Georgetown !

OK, I have a confession.  I like Swedes.  I like their embassy in DC.  I like the embassy’s views of the Potomac River.  I like the VASA ride.  But I really like the HOT BERRY SOUP !  So sign up no – there are only 100 spots left, and enjoy a ride through DC, along the Potomac River, up through Maryland and then tour the embassy in Georgetown.  It’s a great winter workout, with several distance options.  And especially enjoy the berry soup !

Vasa bicycle riders gathering at the Potomac RIver in DC for this fun winter bike ride

The 2012 Vasa Ride
 will be Sunday, March 4^th at the gorgeous Swedish Embassy Building right on the Potomac River in Georgetown.  The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (“WABA”) web site says:

 Break out your ski goggles for the region’s first large organized bike ride of the season! The Annual Vasa Ride is WABA’s bicycle-themed tribute to Sweden’s legendary Vasaloppet, the world’s longest running cross country ski race. Held on the first Sunday of March, 400 riders of all ages and experience levels join together for a noncompetitive ride to brave the coldness of winter and traverse DC and Maryland’s terrain. Thanks to our gracious hosts at the Swedish Embassy, all finishers will celebrate their feats with a traditional bowl of warm blueberry soup. Registration will capped at 400 riders. And remember, if it snows bring your skis!

Only 100 registration spots left – Register Now!

Doug Landau has done this fun event and recommends it to all hardy souls looking for a DC area bike ride with several hundred crazy friends !

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.