Landau makes podium at Nationals

Doug Landau on far left, with the other Sprint Duathlon National Championship age group winners in St. Paul, Minnesota
Doug Landau on far left, with the other Sprint Duathlon National Championship age group winners in St. Paul, Minnesota

The best runners and bikers from all over the United States came to Minnesota to compete in the USAT DUathlon National Championships. The Minneapolis / St. Paul race course was especially challenging this year.

After last year’s  flooding of the muddy Mississippi River shortened the course, racers were given a mostly flat bike venue. This year was quite the opposite. After competitors ran 2.5 km at top speed, within a quarter mile of the transition to their bikes they were confronted with a 7% uphill grade!   And, they had to do this twice, as the sprint DUathlon National Championship race consisted of two bike laps. Then these elite athlete had to run another 2.5 km to the finish line.

Herndon injury lawyer Doug Landau was the top of Virginia finisher at the sprint distance event. Furthermore, he finished third in his age category, to take a spot on the podium . By medalling, lawyer Landau qualified for the 2016 World Championships.

dkwl finish line  group 1Landau was pleased with the results, but commented that he could have done even better had he not had a few “equipment glitches.” His helmet was not on his bike when he came into T-1 and his cyclometer came off as he as exiting to start cycling.  He lost precious time struggling to put his bicycle computer back on his handlebars. “This race help validate my being on the United States 2015 World Championship team headed for Australia in October,” he noted. “Having never raced at the sprint Duathlon distance in a regional or national calibre race, I was concerned as to whether I had enough speed to be competitive.” Well “the jury is in,” and lawyer Landau was on the podium and very much “in the mix” with the best athletes in the country.