D2 EZ M2 THE WASHINGTON POST.SUNDAY, MARCH 6 , 2022
WINTER SPORTS
Upbeat Shiffrin places
s econd i n s uper-G
Mikaela Shiffrin i s happy just
to enjoy her skiing again.
S hiffrin took a clear lead in the
World Cup overall standings
Saturday by placing second in a
super-G in Lenzerheide,
Switzerland, won by Romane
Miradoli.
It was an impressive return to
form f or the American star in her
first race after poor results at the
Beijing Olympics.
“After the last couple of weeks,
I really appreciate this,” said
Shiffrin, who f inished 0.38
seconds behind the French leader.
Lara Gut-Behrami placed third.
Petra Vlhova f inished 18th to
drop 67 points b ehind Shiffrin in
the overall standings....
Italy’s Dominik Paris
dominated a men’s World Cup
downhill in Kvitfjell, Norway,
beating home f avorite Alexander
Aamodt Kilde by 0.55 seconds.
AUTO RACING
Ty Gibbs recovered from a
nasty first-stage spat and a failed
attempt at retaliation to win the
NASCAR Xfinity Series race a t Las
Vegas Motor Speedway.
Gibbs took the lead for the first
time o n a restart with six laps
remaining, g ot a push ahead of
Las Vegas native Noah Gragson
and then pulled away in clean air.
His Toyota had a comfortable
lead when the 12th caution froze
the field and gave Gibbs, the
grandson of team owner Joe
Gibbs, his first win of the year.
Gibbs climbed from his car and
immediately issued an apology to
Ryan Sieg, who had feuded with
Gibbs throughout the first stage.
Gibbs had made contact with
Sieg to trigger the feud that e nded
when Sieg wrecked himself trying
to retaliate.
Gragson finished second....
Christopher Bell w on the first
pole of his career and will lead the
field in Sunday’s NASCAR C up
Series race. Kyle Larson, the
defending Las Vegas winner,
qualified second, with Austin
Cindric t hird....
R ussian driver Nikita
Mazepin w as dropped by Haas F1
despite a ruling by FIA, the
international governing body of
motorsports, that h e could
compete in Formula One races
under a neutral flag.COLLEGE LACROSSE
Logan Wisnauskas and Kyle
Long h ad two goals and two
assists each as the top-ranked
Maryland men posted an 11-9
victory over No. 7 Notre Dame in
South Bend, Ind.
Eric Malever a nd Jack
Brennan added two goals apiece
for the Terrapins (5-0), who
outscored the Fighting Irish (1-2)
by an 8 -5 margin over the second
and third quarters....
Payton Cormier tallied six
goals and Connor Shellenberger
had three goals and five assists to
power the No. 2 Virginia men to a
19-8 rout of No. 15 Johns Hopkins
(3-3) i n Charlottesville.
Will Cory a nd Xander
Dickson a dded two goals each for
the Cavaliers (5-0)....
Alex Slusher scored five goals
and Sam English h ad three as the
No. 18 Princeton men ( 3-1) posted
a 10-8 victory over No. 3
Georgetown at Cooper Field. Alex
Trippi scored four goals for the
Hoyas (4-1)....
Aurora Cordingley h ad three
goals and five assists as the No. 4
Maryland women cruised to a
1 9-7 victory over William & Mary
(2-3) in Williamsburg, Va. Libby
May and Hannah Leubecker
scored four goals apiece for the
Terrapins (5-0).
— From news services
and staff reportsDIGESTTELEVISION AND RADIO
NBA
1 p.m. Brooklyn at Boston » WJLA (Ch. 7), WMAR (Ch. 2)
3:30 p.m. Phoenix at Milwaukee » W JLA (Ch. 7), WMAR (Ch. 2)
6 p.m. Indiana at Washington » N BC Sports Washington, WJFK (106.7 FM)
7:30 p.m. Toronto at Cleveland » E SPN
10 p.m. New York at Los Angeles Clippers » E SPN
NHL
4 p.m. Dallas at Minnesota » T NT
7 p.m. Tampa Bay at Chicago » N HL Network
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Noon Penn State at Rutgers » Big Ten Network
Noon Houston at Memphis » W USA (Ch. 9), WJZ (Ch. 13)
Noon Big South tournament, final: Winthrop vs. Longwood » E SPN2
12:30 p.m. Michigan at Ohio State » W TTG (Ch. 5), WBFF (Ch. 45)
2 p.m. Missouri Valley tournament, final: Loyola Chicago vs. Drake » W USA (Ch. 9),
WJZ (Ch. 13)
2 p.m. Central Florida at Tulsa » E SPNU
2 p.m. Patriot League tournament, semifinal: Lehigh at Colgate »
CBS Sports Network
2 p.m. Nebraska at Wisconsin » B ig Ten Network
4 p.m. Southern Conference tournament, semifinal: Chattanooga vs. Wofford »
ESPNU
4 p.m. Patriot League tournament, semifinal: Boston University at Navy »
CBS Sports Network
4:30 p.m. Maryland at Michigan State » W USA (Ch. 9), WJZ (Ch. 13), WTEM (980 AM)
6:30 p.m. Southern Conference tournament, semifinal: Furman vs. Samford » E SPNU
7:30 p.m. Minnesota at Northwestern » B ig Ten Network
7:30 p.m. Iowa at Illinois » Fox Sports 1
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Noon ACC tournament, final: Miami vs. North Carolina State » E SPN
2 p.m. SEC tournament, final: South Carolina vs. Kentucky » ESPN
2 p.m. Atlantic 10 tournament, final: Dayton vs. Massachusetts » E SPN2
3 p.m. Big East tournament, semifinal: Marquette vs. Connecticut » F ox Sports 1
4 p.m. Big Ten tournament, final: Indiana vs. Iowa » ESPN2
5:30 p.m. Big East tournament, semifinal: Villanova vs. Seton Hall » F ox Sports 1
6 p.m. Pac-12 tournament, final: Utah vs. Stanford » E SPN2
8:30 p.m. Big South tournament, final: Campbell vs. Longwood » E SPNU
GOLF
12:30 p.m. PGA Tour: Arnold Palmer Invitational, final round » Golf Channel
2:30 p.m. PGA Tour: Puerto Rico Open, final round » G olf Channel
2:30 p.m. PGA Tour: Arnold Palmer Invitational, final round » W RC (Ch. 4),
WBAL (Ch. 11)
4:30 p.m. PGA Tour Champions: Hoag Classic, final round » G olf Channel
SOCCER
7 a.m. French Ligue 1: Metz at Saint-Étienne » b eIN Sports
7 a.m. Scottish Premiership: Celtic at Livingston » C BS Sports Network
7 a.m. Women’s Super League: Birmingham City at Arsenal » C NBC
9 p.m. French Ligue 1: Troyes at Bordeaux » beIN Sports
9 a.m. English Premier League: Arsenal at Watford » U SA Network
11 a.m. French Ligue 1: Clermont at Lille » b eIN Sports
11:30 a.m. English Premier League: Manchester United at Manchester City »
USA Network
Noon Italian Serie A: Spezia at Juventus » CBS Sports Network
2:45 p.m. French Ligue 1: Monaco at Marseille » b eIN Sports
4 p.m. MLS: Inter Miami at Austin FC » E SPN
10 p.m. MLS: Portland at Los Angeles FC » Fox Sports 1
10 p.m. Mexican Liga MX: San Luis at Tijuana » F ox Sports 2
AUTO RACING
3:30 p.m. NASCAR Cup Series: Pennzoil 400 » W TTG (Ch. 5), WBFF (Ch. 45)
TENNIS
9 a.m. WTA: Lyon Open, final » T ennis Channel
5:30 p.m. WTA: Monterrey Open, final » Tennis Channel
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Noon Florida at Miami » A CC Network
3 p.m. South Carolina at Clemson » A CC Network
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
1 p.m. Louisiana Tech at LSU » S EC Network
3 p.m. Missouri Kansas City at Arkansas » S EC Network
COLLEGE WRESTLING
4:30 p.m. Big Ten tournament, finals » Big Ten Network
7 p.m. ACC tournament, finals » A CC Network
8 p.m. Big 12 tournament, finals » E SPN2
9 p.m. Pac-12 tournament, finals » P ac-12 Network
MEN’S COLLEGE HOCKEY
7 p.m. Big Ten tournament, quarterfinal: Michigan State at Michigan
(if necessary) » F ox Sports 2
WOMEN’S COLLEGE HOCKEY
9 p.m. NCAA tournament selection show » ESPNews
WOMEN’S COLLEGE GYMNASTICS
3 p.m. California at UCLA » P ac-12 Network
WOMEN’S COLLEGE LACROSSE
Noon Northwestern at North Carolina » ESPNU
MEN’S COLLEGE LACROSSE
6 p.m. Utah at Jacksonville » C BS Sports Network
practical purposes. Only Kwame
and I had bike lights, and it
would have been more
dangerous going blind on the
trail. There were speeding piles
of steel racing past us, but at
least their headlights
illuminated our path.
We paired up and tried to
make ourselves look like a car.
We filled an entire lane, with the
front riders yelling out warnings
for the back pair (“HOLE!”
“RAGGEDY ROAD!” “CAR
RIGHT!”). Keshia couldn’t stop
laughing. I should have been
scared, but I was too busy
hollering instructions, squealing
whenever my tire hit a pothole
and cackling at the absurdity of
life, too.
By the time we played chicken
in front of the Lincoln Memorial
— the only way through was to
face incoming traffic — we hit
Mile 42. We ended up going
longer, 48 miles in all, and I had
never felt more joy on my bike.
The whole adventure lasted
nearly seven hours, but this was
what I wanted. I just didn’t
know how much I needed it. Not
the exercise or the challenge but
the life lesson that we all need
people. I needed Danny to fix my
bike seat. I needed Kareem to
give me pickle juice when my
thighs cramped. I needed
Kwame to hold up traffic when I
was trailing at the yellow lights.
I needed Keshia to wait for me,
always smiling and never
complaining.
More than that, I want
people. I want them to see my
vulnerability because behind
this fortress I have built is a
woman who sometimes needs a
break from being the strong one
all the time. I want to ask the
people I trust for help, feeling
secure that I won’t be judged for
my frailty and won’t allow
myself to be disappointed by
theirs — because we’re all just
trying our best here. Mostly, I
want to keep showing up for the
people in my orbit and know
that, in return, I deserve their
same effort.
Now 42 years old, I’m
deciding to let people in — the
right people. A perilous yet
heavenly bike ride with four
good ones taught me that it’s
okay to trust again.pedaled back he opened his
toolbox and adjusted my seat,
thinking my problem was that I
was sitting too low and working
too hard to power the pedals. My
seat went up, and so did my
confidence. Through College
Park, I could now locate the back
of Keshia’s gray sweatshirt!
Then something happened.
With no-coast Kwame going all
gas, no brakes on his fixie,
Doomsday; Kareem out front,
trying to navigate the chaos I
had mapped out; and Keshia
stopped mid-hill to wait for me,
I whimpered four words I had
never said out loud before.
“I can’t.”
“I’m struggling.”
My pride — or, really, my
fatigue — wouldn’t let me cry.
(Tears take too much effort
when you’re climbing hills.) I
wanted to quit right there, just
call it “21 miles for 42 years,”
then call an Uber to take me
back home. Then it hit me while
ascending Western Avenue to
Pinehurst Circle NW, the 2.7
percent vertical grade wiping
me out: These people weren’t
going to let me quit. And they
were going to make sure I had
fun.
At the summit of the next hill,
all three were waiting — and
yelling encouragement as I rode
up. Kareem even said I looked
like a pro.
When I ride, I like to pretend
I know what I’m doing, like I am
a pro. And in life, I like to
pretend that I’m better off
taking care of myself, like I’m an
island. But this ride taught me
something that I had been
trying to suppress for my
previous 41 years: that it’s okay
to show weakness. When
someone proves to be that
reliable and patient friend who
will wait for you at the top, it’s
okay to let go and trust them.
Besides, I had no other choice.
Without trusting my new best
friends, I would have been
pedaling for dear life in the
darkness, alone.
We were getting close to
reaching my milestone, but first
we had to survive Rock Creek
Parkway, where D.C. drivers
think they’re on the Autobahn.
We decided to take the roads —
and not the bike trail — forsometimes being in love feels
like getting sucker punched.
Because I never want to be
disappointed again, I decided
not to rely on people at all, to
keep my guard up and depend
on the only human who won’t
fail me: me.
Plus, moving through this
sports journalism world as an
outsider (Black and a woman)
has made me fiercely
independent. So most
acquaintances have been casual
at best — or transactional, as I
cringe to type. If anyone wants
in, great, but they will have to do
so at my speed and at a distance.
There’s always a separation
between the conductor and the
caboose.
But by the time I huffed
through the Arboretum — the
three guys already chilling by
the columns — I was the
caboose, and it felt terrible. I
was frustrated, so I tried to save
face and told my bike friends
that they should take off because
I want them to have fun on this
beautiful afternoon. Before I
could really get into this
martyr’s monologue, Danny
interrupted and said something
along the lines of: “Listen up.
I’m going to say this once. We’re
here for you. We could have
chosen any other ride today, but
we want to celebrate your
birthday.”
Then he gave me a package of
quick energy jelly beans —
pretty much crack in candy
form. Don’t know what’s in ’em.
Don’t care. All I know is they
were just what I needed. But
Danny’s words provided even
more of a boost.
Apparently, I hadn’t been
humbled enough yet, because
the next time I trailed and the
gang had to take another
unexpected rest, Kwame tried to
advise me on how to shift gears
properly. I’m sure he felt the icy
stare I was sending from behind
my super cool cycling shades. I
was arrogant. He was just trying
to help. We biked on.
About three hours into the
ride that was supposed to take
31 / 2 , Danny had to peel away for
family business. We were only in
Bladensburg, with more than
half of the journey still
unfinished, but before DannyA few hours
before my
birthday, I began
to question my
life decisions.
Specifically, I
questioned how
the decision to
bike the same
mileage as my years on Earth
got me here, past sundown,
dodging death on Rock Creek
Parkway.
Thankfully it wasn’t just me
on that journey but also the four
people who spent all day
celebrating me, waiting for me
and, ultimately, lifting me up.
I love cycling, and I really got
into it two summers ago. I even
named my road bike Dolce
Luna. She was my panacea
during the pandemic. While the
world was shutting down and
tearing itself apart, inflamed by
racial and cultural divisions, I
was spinning my wheels and
escaping to a blissful state of
solitude. So with my birthday
coming up and a cloudless
forecast for this past Sunday, I
decided to go for it — 42 miles
for my 42nd year.
I thought of making this a
chill, solo trip, just me and Dolce
Luna on the open road, but
instead I messaged some bike
buddies. We have bonded over
our love for bicycles but have
only slight connections. I
couldn’t tell you all the gigs
Kwame Edwards does for a
living. I’ve never asked Kareem
Jones his daughter’s name, but I
do know he calls his bike Black
Mamba. I think I know where
Danny Williams lives, but when
he hosted a backyard BBQ last
summer, I passed on the
invitation. And Keshia Roberson
— we had talked only once
before Sunday afternoon.
Still, they all showed up at
Anacostia Park, ready to take on
the hastily drawn route I
planned on a cycling app.
So, I admit, I’m that annoying
friend who posts her cycling
workouts on Instagram —
complete with GIFs and a
backing hip-hop track — but
these four are way more
experienced riders than I am.
Kareem, who also works at The
Washington Post, is so serious
that he has logged 700 miles
already this year. Kwame, co-
founder of Saturday Night Bike
Club and essentially a semipro
cyclist who travels for
competitions, messes around
some days and ends up riding a
metric century. And Keshia, the
baddest woman on wheels, will
lead an all-Black-lady ride from
New York to Washington this
spring.
I may have the gear and
workout videos to make me look
the part, but they are c yclists.
And this became abundantly
clear around Mile 2.
We weren’t out of Anacostia
before I realized that my fast
was their cool-down and I was
getting dropped like a Toni
Morrison book in a Southern
school district.
I hated feeling like this, like I
was the weak link they needed
to wait for at intersections. I’m
supposed to be the head, helping
others and leading the way so
that my own forward
momentum doesn’t stall. That’s
how I have lived my life.
There are some vivid
memories from my childhood of
being let down by people. As an
adult, I have put down my dukes
long enough to learn thatCelebrating 42 years with the ride, lesson of a lifetime
Candace
BucknerCANDACE BUCKNER/THE WASHINGTON POST
C andace Buckner, second from right, survived her birthday bicycle ride with her new best friends.BY KAREEM COPELANDWNBA star Brittney Griner
was arrested in Russia on suspi-
cion of illegally bringing drugs
into the country after she was
searched at the airport and found
with hash oil in her luggage,
according to Russian news agen-
cy Tass.
The report states that Griner
was stopped by customs control
at Sheremetyevo International
Airport in February upon arrival
in Moscow from New York when
a service dog reacted to the pres-
ence of drugs. The two-time
Olympic gold medalist’s luggage
was searched and run through
X-ray equipment, and vape car-
tridges of liquid cannabis oil were
found.
“We are aware of and are
closely monitoring the situation
with Brittney Griner in Russia,”
the Phoenix Mercury said in a
statement. “We remain in con-
stant contact with her family, her
representation, the WNBA andNBA. We love and support Britt-
ney and at this time our main
concern is her safety, physical
and mental health, and her safe
return home.”
The timing of the arrest was
unclear, beyond that it happened
last month. But the news of the
incident coincides with Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine. The United
States and other Western and
NATO nations have enacted sanc-
tions against Russia and have
supported Ukraine with military
equipment.
The S tate Department i ssued
an advisory not to travel to Russia
in response to the “unprovoked
and unjustified attack by Russian
military forces in Ukraine” and
the possible “harassment against
U.S. citizens by Russian govern-
ment security officials.”
The department added that
U.S. citizens should leave Russia
immediately and that the embas-
sy had “limited ability to assist
U.S. citizens.”
All other WNBA players are
out of Russia and Ukraine, ac-
cording to a WNBA spokesper-
son. Several prominent WNBA
stars are on the rosters of Russian
teams, including Breanna Stew-
art, Courtney Vandersloot, Jon-
quel Jones, Natasha Howard and
Arike Ogunbowale.“USA Basketball is aware of
and closely monitoring the legal
situation facing Brittney Griner
in Russia,” the organization said
in a statement. “Brittney has al-
ways handled herself with the
utmost professionalism during
her long tenure with USA Basket-
ball and her safety and wellbeing
are our primary concerns.”
The WNBA said in its ownstatement, “Brittney Griner has
the WNBA’s full support and our
main priority is her swift and safe
return to the United States.”
Cannabis cartridges are devic-
es that contain marijuana in an
oil form that can be inhaled by a
component that heats the oil into
a gaseous state.
Griner is listed on the roster
for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Rus-
sia and has played on the team for
seven seasons. She is a seven-
time WNBA all-star after being
the No. 1 overall pick in 2013 and
is one of the world’s most recog-
nizable women’s basketball play-
ers.
Many WNBA players spend the
offseason playing overseas to
supplement WNBA salaries that
are not competitive with those of
their male counterparts. Griner is
set to have a base salary of
$227,900 with the Mercury for
the 2022 season.
“We are aware of the situation
in Russia concerning one of our
members, Brittney Griner,” the
Women’s National Basketball
Players Association said in a
statement. “Our utmost concern
is BG’s safety and well-being. On
behalf of The 144, we send our
love and support. We will contin-
ue to closely monitor and look
forward to her return to the U.S.”WNBA all-star Griner arrested, d etained in R ussia
PHIL NOBLE/REUTERS
Brittney Griner is being held
amid rising tensions between
Russia and the United States.Hash oil reportedly
was f ound in her luggage
as she arrived in Moscow