Winning his first and last multisport races of the season made for what would have to be called a successful year for Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau. In addition to the ABRAMS LANDAU law firm’s successes in court rooms in Virginia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Georgia, New York, South Carolina and Washington, D.C., the Herndon and Leesburg injury lawyer made quite a “splash” in 2009. Highlights include winning the Bethesda Sprint Triathlon, in April. Landau had won the DUathlon event years ago, and was almost last coming out of the pool at Georgetown Prep. However, by mustering a blistering bike leg and continually passing the 300+ person field on the run, he ended up going from 3rd to last to first overall ! In his last event of the season, the busy attorney raced to, in and from (!) the Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation Biathlon in between his daughter’s Columbus Day Weekend soccer tournament matches in Bristow. The race, held in the past at the Madeira School, was contested at the Fairfax County Recreation Center at South Run. Landau arrived just in time for the start, and managed to get lapped in the 500 meter swim by other racers in his heat. Nevertheless, the hard-working lawyer had an incredible transition and took off on the rolling 5 mile run course after all the competitors ahead of him. By the time he hit the finish line, the 49-year-old Landau had reeled in everyone and set the course record ! As for his speed to and from the race site from the soccer tourney, on the advice of counsel, Landau is silent ! However, he is proud to relate that his youngest daughter’s team was undefeated and won the tournament in sudden death overtime !

In between triathlete trial lawyer Landau’s overall wins in the multipart arenas and many age group, masters and other sports awards, were wins at two unusual events. After work on a summer’s eve, Landau again competed in the D.C. Road Runners Club’s “One Hour Track Run” in Alexandria. The Herndon and Leesburg lawyer has done this event several times, just to gauge his fitness and to work on his pacing. It is far too long going around in circles for Landau to do regularly – he’d be too wound up ! This year the event was the Road Runners Club of America’s championship as well. Landau did not intend to win, and simply wanted to run what is known as a negative split. In other words, he wanted to run the second half hour faster than the first. However, after two thirds of the race, he noticed that the leaders (some in spikes !) were not that far ahead. Putting “pedal to the metal,” Landau picked up his pace and was able to catch them all before the officials called “time !” For his efforts, Landau’s achievement and picture was put in the RacePacket magazine and the DCRRC web site. In another odd event, after completing the “Playa Del Rey” Biathlon (a 1km. ocean swim with dolphins in the Pacific Ocean, followed by a flat 5km.) with his wife, Landau watched his daughters run the 5km running race and then lined up for the “Playa Del Run” beach sand sprint mile. Since he trains barefoot when possible in the warmer weather, Landau eschewed his shoes, and came home in first place despite being one of the oldest competitors. With four overall wins in four different states (MD, DC, CA & VA), over two dozen age group, Masters and top 10 prizes, it was a good year. Landau hopes to improve his results in National Championship races, as he competed in the USA Track & Field National Cross Country Championship and the USAT&F Masters Indoor Track Championships as well as the USAT DUathlon National Championships in 2009.