TheAthletesLawyer

Watching the pros in transition is amazing !

Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau before the start of the 2009 Dextro Sprint Triathlon on the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.

Professional triathletes practice their transitions as though it was a 4th sport.  They work at racing through transitions in order to gain time on the competition and avoid injury, especially when dismounting their bikes in tight quarters.  Precious seconds gained in the transition area can translate into victory in an Olympic or Sprint Distance Triathlon.

Here are the pros coming into T-2 at the DC Dextro ITU Race. This professional triathlon in the heart of the Nation’s Capitol featured Olympians and World Champions racing just a few feet in front of spectators ! TriathlonTrialLawyer Doug Landau got to watch the bike portion of the race with Olympic Gold AND Bronze medalist Simon Whitfield !

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”) reports that in 2003 there were 284 drowning deaths of children under 5 years of age in pools and spas; 245 in 2004; and, 319 in 2005.  A long time lifeguard, guard instructor and YMCA aquatics director noted in Aquatics International that “there should be no reason anyone should “drown” in a supervised pool.  There may be circumstances where people get in trouble, but if guards take their jobs seriously and management holds routine in-service, drowning accidents should not happen.”  TriathlonTrialLawyer Doug Landau agrees, and notes further that implementation and practice of water safety protocols can help reduce and eliminate potentially dangerous conditions and aquatic injury.  Leesburg and Herndon sports injury lawyer Doug Landau also believes that proactive water safety instruction can also reduce the risk of injury to inexperienced swimmers and pool users.  If you or someone you know has had a water sports injury, please call ABRAMS LANDAU

Giving fund raisers an “experience” as well as “shwag” for their efforts and money, is a trend increasing in popularity. Combining fundraising with an “experience” or “adventure” as well as promoting good health of the competitor as well as the recipients, has become the method by which many large races attract hundreds, even thousands of these “high value” participants, according to sports injury lawyer Doug Landau. Fundraising triathlons have enticed many runners to try to expand into areas like swimming, which they may not have learned to do very efficiently, to benefit particular charities, said Dr. Lori Mosca, preventive cardiology chief at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and an American Heart Association spokeswoman. “They’re really recruiting people to do these events,” she said. “It can be a recipe for disaster.”

Doctors offer these tips to anyone considering a triathlon, as reported on public radio:

• Get a checkup to make sure you don’t have hidden heart problems.
• Train adequately long before the event, including open-water swims – not just in pools.
• Acclimate yourself to the water temperature shortly before a race, and wear a wetsuit if it’s too cold.
• Make sure the race has medical staff and defibrillators on site.

And, according to TriathlonTrialLawyer Doug Landau, make sure you can complete the distance well before the date for the event, and have “walked the walk” as well as “talked the talk.”

One lesson I have learned is to check out the race venue AND the race hotel BEFORE the morning of the race. If you cannot inspect the hotel before the day of your arrival, at least ask to “see the room” BEFORE putting your luggage in it. Several times I have asked to see the room before getting my gear loaded in, and have either had the front desk change my room to a better one before I left the lobby, or returned to ask for a room not overlooking the dumpster or closer to my car, triathlon bike & the pool, for post-race hydrotherapy. Also, some hotels have “new wings” and old sections. Looking at the accommodations before “moving in” may save you and your roommates from a poor night’s sleep, or worse, injury and disability. My wife can tell you lots of stories about places we did not look into ahead of time. So, learn from my mistakes and “check it out” before you check in. See tomorrow’s post for an ABRAMS LANDAU premises liability case where the hotel lamp caused terrible injuries and required an of-duty Emergency Room doctor to come to the rescue of my friend !

With the United States Triathlon’s (“USAT”) governing body surpassing 100,000 members, and USAT certified races taking place all over the country, there is now a sufficient sampling from which to discern risks as compared to another popular endurance event, marathon running. Triathlons are gaining in popularity, due to the televising of the Hawaii Ironman and other events. Herndon sports injury lawyer Doug Landau points out that completing a triathlon is a status symbol. Finishing an “Ironman” appeals the the macho in recreational athletes, much as completing a 5k, 10k and even a Marathon did during the “running boom” in the 1980’s. Endurance multi-sport events are increasing their numbers as charity fundraisers, often drawing participants new to competing in close quarters with more seasoned athletes. Many people who are not used to such demanding exercise, but who may be otherwise “fit,” find that swimming with hundreds of people all trying to take the shortest route and then bicycling at top speed around turns and down hills, may be stressful, dangerous and anxiety producing. Each year, about 1,000 multi-sport events are held and Read the rest of this entry »

Looking for a flat course upon which to test her now found running speed, charity runner Rebecca Landau found a race on the famous Eagleman Half Ironman Triathlon course. The Dorchester YMCA Half-Marathon in Cambridge Maryland raises money for programs supporting strong kids, strong families, and a strong community. In addition, this new event advertised “Environmentally Sensitive Awards and Premiums” ! While a bit long for TriathlonTrialLawyer Doug Landau, as he prefers sprint distances, his wife and eldest daughter seem to enjoy the steady pace and scenery of the longer events. In preparation for today’s run, Miss Landau ran a 10km. in Alexandria, the Blacksburg Classic 10 miler and the Shamrock half marathon in Virginia Beach.

Miss Landau, soon to be a graduate of the Virginia Tech School of Architecture, managed 8:20/mile for 8 miles, and finished with a kick and a smile. Mrs. Landau finished the Dorchester race in two hours, and according to Charm City Run results, Herndon Reston sports lawyer Doug Landau finished in 1:25:30 for 10th overall, 2nd in his age group, out of about 160 finishers. While the course was probably short, it was well marked, with friendly volunteers who bravely withstood the wind, rain and cold. Rather than hang around for awards, the Landau trio bolted for the hotel pool, where Miss Landau’s easy jogging in cool, deep water, followed by a stint in the hot tub, reduced everyone’s soreness, stiffness and made the drive to Virginia more comfortable. The cool water is known to reduce inflammation, and with proper post-race nutrition during the 20 minutes following intense exercise (i.e., water, minerals, carbohydrates and protein replacement for damaged muscles, ligaments and tendons), Landau notes much “delayed onset muscle soreness” and post run stiffness can be reduced.

With the warmer spring weather now upon us, TriathonTrialLawyer Doug Landau is seeing more cyclists on the trails and roads.  Landau hopes to soon be rolling down from the ABRAMS LANDAU building to join the Reston Bike Club evening rides that start a stone’s throw away in the Herndon Municipal parking lot at the 20 mile marker on the W&OD Trail.  However, it is better to be a safe and smart cyclist than first out of the lot and in the peloton.

One strategy for safe cycling is to travel in manageable groups.  There is “safety in numbers” and if you go down due to equipment failure or defective product, having your mates nearby can be invaluable, both physiologically, as well as psychologically.  I have flatted more than once or had “bike frame issues” and been glad that my buddies were with me, had the right spare parts, and even came back to pick me up.  Also, if the group is communicating well with hand signals and audible instructions, you have the benefit of multiple eyes and ears on the road.  Having everyone scanning the roadways for speeding drivers, distracted motorists and inattentive pedestrians, can save you from a lot of pain, disability  and lost training time.  Also watch for opening doors, where the person leaving their car or truck is not looking out for cyclists.  To the person exiting the car, van or truck, bicyclists are relatively silent, small and speedy.  So this Spring, be smart, be safe, and be  careful.

Books that heavily influenced my running training include:

“Neuromuscular Mechanisms for Therapeutic & Conditioning Exercise,” (University Park Press, 1976) by my Professor Howard Knuttgen, Ph.D. Dr. Knuttgen, was the Associate Dean of the Sargent College of Allied Health Professions at Boston University, where I studied human physiology, ergonomics, anatomy and exercise science.

“Winning Running (The Oregon System: A mental and physical approach to competitive running)”, by Bill Dellinger (Contemporary Books, 1978). Dellinger, the Head Coach at the University of Oregon, was the National cross country “coach of the year” when this book came out, and his team was National cross country champion the year before. Following the book’s training schedules, I was able to run some very fast times (i.e., 16:35 5km, 28:52 8km, 36:04 10km). Read the rest of this entry »

1. Pay attention multi-sport athletes who wish to compete in the Virginia Triathlon Series in 2009. There are new rules and terrific prizes for participants. TriathlonTrialLawyer Doug Landau won his age group in 2007, finished out of the money in 2008 behind two of his clients (!) and did not compete in enough races in 2006, despite having a prize- winning average. So it pays to know Read the rest of this entry »

Many cyclists, including Reston Virginia spine, brain and head injury lawyer Doug Landau have been chased by dogs while on training rides. While dog bites and attacks are not infrequent, and motor vehicles have been totaled by deer and cows, injuries caused by other animals are rare. Triathlon Trial Lawyer Landau even successfully represented a plaintiff whose Mercedes limousine was totalled by a deer outside of Winchester, Virginia !

The San Francisco Chronicle reported last week that a Monterey County jury has ordered the state to pay $8.6 million to a motorcyclist who was severely injured when he struck six wild boars on a state highway in 2003. The jury ruled Friday that the state was responsible for the cyclist’s head and other injuries because officials knew that wild pigs regularly crossing a highway were creating a dangerous situation, but they did nothing to address it.

The injured plaintiff, a 45-year-old former karate teacher and champion kickboxer, suffered serious injuries and is now confined to a wheelchair. The injured biker and his wife sued the state Department of Transportation (”DOT”) in Monterey County, California Superior Court. The defense attorneys for DOT argued that the state was not responsible for the actions of wild animals. The Defendant’s lawyers also alleged the now wheelchair-bound plaintiff was under the influence of Read the rest of this entry »