[Editor’s Note: We’re happy to bring to you the long-planned-for DCist Interview. Many of our sibling sites have used their Interview to find, meet and write about some of the most interesting people who reside in their respective cities. And we plan to do the same, so if you know of a townie, other locals or interesting transient, e-mail staff [at] dcist [dot] com.]

Name: Jeremy Barber
Age: 28
Location: U Street Corridor

Jeremy Barber will be traveling to Miami this weekend to compete for the national championship in the Urban Challenge, a race that ties together endurance, urban know how, and navigational prowess into a 2-3 hour race through one’s city, using only your own two feet and public transportation to get you and your teammate (in this case Elsie Huang, pictured left) from point A to point B for the chance to win $50,000. Growing and growing each year, the Urban Challenge is now sponsored by Verizon Wireless, and is adding cities each season.

For a more detailed summary of what the race is, take a look at the official rules, but in a quick sum-up: Teams of two must solve riddles to reach checkpoints stationed around the city. The first team to take a photo of themselves at each checkpoint and cross the finish line wins. But there are only cash prizes at the national competition, which shifts from city to city each year.

There are some side rules that add complications, and from this DCist’s own experience with the race (we finished in the D.C. regional’s top 10 this year), there is always something odd that happens along the way (piss of State Department security guards when you think one of the checkpoints is inside the department’s courtyard; BTW, we weren’t allowed inside to get the photo taken).