Racing in all 50 States; Trial Lawyer Langer Travels the Country
During the Covid pandemic, many people set out to accomplish goals that they had not entertained before.
One of Landau’s brilliant Herndon bike training friends quit their high-level job at LabCorp in order to hike the Appalachian Trail. They even stayed with him up in Connecticut while they recuperated from an asthma attack. A family member wanted to see and hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Another friend, from the Association for Justice, vowed to do a triathlon in all 50 states.
This young Lawyer is Robert Langer, from Langer & Langer in Valparaiso, Indiana. Young Langer met Landau after an American Trial Lawyers speech on how to prove cases without witnesses, using personal fitness devices and GPS. This presentation was a highlight of the annual American Association for Justice (“AAJ”) Convention. Robert Langer and his father, Steven Langer, came up to Landau with other lawyers to ask questions. When lawyer Landau found out the Langers were also accomplished trial lawyers AND triathletes, they immediately became friends.
Since that first chance meeting, Landau has seen the Langers at AAJ Law Conventions and at National Championship races over the years. Landau makes it a point to get together with the Langers for pre-& post-race meals at the USAT Age Group National Championships every year. During the pandemic, young Langer decided that he would race in every state. When they would correspond during his expedition, Landau was thrilled when he heard that Langer had raced in more than half of the states in the United States of America!
Several years ago, Landau and Langer were both preparing to go to the American Association for Justice Convention in Philadelphia mid-month. Usually, Landau tries to find a race in conjunction with Law Conventions and Education Programs. Landau successfully raced outside of the city in a sprint triathlon, getting a podium spot and traveling on Pennsylvania roads that other convention goers would not see. Earlier that summer, Langer let Landau know that he would be in Connecticut while Landau was there, and Landau offered the Young Triathlete a place to stay. Langer had come to race the very challenging Litchfield Hills Olympic triathlon in July. Landau could not join him, but gave him the scouting report on the course, having raced it previously. Landau could not be there as he already signed up for the Pawling New York Sprint Triathlon, where he has won his age group several times. From Pawling, Landau could be home quickly to enjoy time with his mother, children, and grandchildren during his annual celebration of his and Melissa’s birthdays.
Robert Langer was a very good sport and slept up in the loft for two nights before having a good race in Connecticut. He then did another race outside Philly and reached the Law Convention, where Trial Lawyers from all over America, Canada, Australia, England, etc., congregate every summer to compare strategy, law, and network. What is more remarkable, is that Langer has frequently made the podium, and even won races in this 50-state quest. Landau hopes for paths to cross again with Langer at another venue, where they can compete together and extend the list of places they have raced.
Landau’s own lifetime race venue list has about half of the states ticked off and over a dozen foreign countries, for multi-sport racing, plus a few more in each column for just road running races. His favourite foreign races have been in Australia, Israel and Italy. Langer and Landau have both represented the United States of America in the ITU Triathlon World Championships, as members of TeamUSA.