Jogger vs. Bus

(http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2011/04/06/alg_mark-malkoff.jpg)

"Who is this man?" you may be wondering. "And why is he on a Big Wheel? In traffic? Beside a New York City bus? WHY?!"

Well, this is a friend of mine. Mr. Mark Malkoff. He's a comedian/filmmaker who has written and starred in a bunch of online videos where he goes out and does things that no one has done before. i.e. Living in IKEA for a week, visiting all the Starbucks in Manhattan in one day, and living on a plane for a month.

In his latest project, "Big Wheel vs. Bus", Malkoff races a New York City bus on a Big Wheel for a mile across 42nd St. to prove that buses in NYC suck. If you don't know, Wikipedia refers to a Big Wheel as, "a type of tricycle, usually made of plastic, with an oversized front wheel, that rides very low to the ground." They are not easy to ride, for a kid, or a grown man.

Enough about Mark. 

You know what else can beat a New York City bus? Someone jogging. Yes. That's me I refer to. I can run faster than a bus. 

I was originally asked if I could help film some footage for the shoot, back in February. "Sure!" I said. (Always confidence...even if you don't know how to work a video camera. Minor detail.) But of course, obstacles always come up in any given project, which led to Mark calling me the morning of the shoot.




He was to have two cyclists accompany him on the road as a safety precaution. One in front and the other at the rear. His rear cyclist fell sick. This is where I come in. He asked me if, instead, I would be willing to jog behind him, while also filming the race. "Sure!" I said. "Wait, how far do I have to run?" "A mile." "Okay!" 

No problem. I'm a jogger. I had been training for this moment for years without my knowing it.

That day I learned that you can go pretty darn fast on a Big Wheel. I had assumed I was in for a leisurely saunter (I confess that I had my doubts about this fellow out-riding the bus), but I had to hustle like a gangsta. We booked it! On the road...in traffic, I might add, since you can't ride bikes on the sidewalk. Onlookers stopped in their tracks, laughing, and shouting out words of encouragement or confusion. "Why are you doing this?!" Luckily, the cops didn't pay us much heed and we all survived the six blocks on our one mile course. And not only did we dodge death...we beat the bus. VICTORY!

I know that filming is not all fun and tricycle riding, but I loved the whole day!

Here's a link to the video that was released yesterday. Funny stuff! And you'll notice me running my butt off.

My Damn Channel » Big Wheel vs. Bus » Big Wheel Vs. Bus

There are also links on the website to other video projects Mark has done. Spread the word and look out for him in the press!