TV Fan Forums: Dade - Viewing Profile

Andie and Jenna

Andie DeKroon
Age: 43

Hometown: Atlanta, Ga.

Connection to your Teammate: Birth Mother

Current occupation: Stay at home mom

Favorite hobbies: Running, hiking, scrapbooking and learning foreign languages

Achievements: Choosing life when faced with an unplanned pregnancy. More recently, raising a big family.

Lifelong to do list: Skydive, bungee jump and get a diver's certification. I'm definitely having a midlife crisis.

What scares you most about traveling? The fear that something bad will happen while I'm abroad and it will be hard for me to get to my family.

What excites you most about traveling? Being somewhere totally out of my comfort zone

If I could switch places with someone: A younger version of myself. I would love to have a do-over knowing what I know now.

Role model/hero: My husband, Joe, because his strength of character never wavers. He inspires me to be the best person I can be.

What are you passionate about? My kids! I love every part of being their mother.

What would you do if you won the million dollars? I would give at least 10 percent to my children's school and to the Muscular Dystrophy Association to help kids like my sweet nephew, Mateo. The rest would go to raising and education my children.

People would be surprised to learn: I am an at-home mom of 10 children, ages 18 months to 18 years.

Favorite place you have ever visited: I visited Rome, Italy when I was 23 years-old.

Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: Experiencing all the stresses the other teams are facing, with the added stress that we've only just met and are still getting to know each other.

What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race (other then winning one million bucks)? I want to get to know this person I brought into the world. I feel the opportunity of being together 24/7 for a while on the Race would give us the chance to know each other in a deeper way than we would if we met under normal circumstances.

Pet peeve about your teammate: I don't know her well enough to have a pet peeve yet!

Jenna Sykes
Age: 21

Hometown: Athens, Ga.

Connection to your Teammate: Biological daughter

Current occupation: Student

Favorite hobbies: Traveling, movies and enjoying the music and nightlife in Athens excites me.

Achievements: Testing my fear of heights by going glacier bungee jumping off a 300 foot cliff

Lifelong to do list: I would like to have a family, be successful and never be afraid to dream bigger than what I thought was ever possible.

What scares you most about traveling? Absolutely nothing

What excites you most about traveling? It opens my mind to entirely different perspectives and way of life. I love to see everything I can and be completely in the moment.

If I could switch places with someone: I wouldn't because I love my life! But, one Saturday as Uga (Georgia Bulldogs mascot) would be really fun.

Role model/hero: My parents. I'll be lucky to be half the person and half the parent that each of them are.

What are you passionate about? Traveling, seeing the world, writing, reading and loving my friends and family

What would you do if you won the million dollars? I would take my parents and friends to Italy and then save the rest.

People would be surprised to learn: I can rough it. I can't wait to go without makeup, without showering and without sleep on the Race.

Favorite place you have ever visited: I love Interlaken, Switzerland. It is the extreme sports capital of the world!

Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: Since we just met, it will be harder for us to race without knowing one another as well as the other teams do. We have to trust each other way more and have faith in ourselves.

What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race (other then winning one million bucks)? I hope to get to know my birth mother through this incredible opportunity. It is my hope that we will be able to spend a lot of time together and become friends.

CBS-TAR

Brook and Claire

Brook Roberts
Age: 27

Hometown: San Diego, Calif.

Connection to your Teammate: Best Friend/Co-host

Current occupation: Home Shopping Television Host

Favorite hobbies: Snow skiing, spending time with my family, scrapbooking and traveling

Achievements: I'm proud that I'm a self-sufficient woman. I make a six figure salary in my twenties and I don't need to be supported by anyone financially.

Lifelong to do list: Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and take over for Kelly Ripa when she's ready to retire

What scares you most about traveling? Disease! I'm so scared of getting an incurable disease.

What excites you most about traveling? Seeing new cultures and meeting people that live a life unlike mine

If I could switch places with someone: Kelly Ripa or Giuliana Rancic from E! News

Role model/hero: My entire family -- from my grandparents to my six siblings -- they all inspire me to be a better person. They keep me grounded and they're a team of role models who live humble, respectful and fulfilling lives.

What are you passionate about? I'm passionate about anything that involves traveling, gemstones and family. Ive been to mines all over the world and I know the chemical makeup of just about every gemstone on the planet! I'm certified from both the Gemological Institute of America and The Diamond Council of America.

What would you do if you won the million dollars? If we win the million dollars I would send my little sister to college and buy a house in Malibu.

People would be surprised to learn: Most people find my job intriguing. I'm a jewelry home shopping host.

Favorite place you have ever visited: My favorite place in the world is Bali, Indonesia. The island is crammed with history, art, spirituality and enchanting people.

Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: It will be a challenge not to laugh our way out of any obstacle. Claire and I both have a wicked sense of humor and every time we face adversity we break out in fits of laughter and jokes. We are here to win and want to have a good time doing it.

What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race (other then winning one million bucks)? It would be an experience that would bond us together for life. I think everyone out there wants to develop stronger and deeper bonds with their best friend.

Pet peeve about your teammate: My pet peeve about Claire is that she is really bossy and gets easily offended when I don't listen to her advice.



Claire Champlin
Age: 30

Hometown: Reno, Nev.

Connection to your Teammate: Best Friend/Co-host

Current occupation: Home Shopping Television Host

Favorite hobbies: Snowboarding, horseback riding and traveling

Achievements: My career is my biggest achievement

Lifelong to do list: Travel, meet new people, have new experiences and continue to grow as a person -- everything that the Race has to offer. Guess I can check that one off my bucket list.

What scares you most about traveling? The food is probably the scariest part of traveling.

What excites you most about traveling? All the adventures and the people you meet

If I could switch places with someone: No one. I love and cherish my life. I am truly blessed and never take that for granted.

Role model/hero: My dad is my hero – he always strives to go above and beyond what he thinks he is capable of.

What are you passionate about? Family

What would you do if you won the million dollars? If I were to win the million dollars I would invest it wisely and make another million.

People would be surprised to learn: That's a hard one. I'm pretty much an open book.

Favorite place you have ever visited: Favorite place on the planet is Costa Rica, hands down. The scenery is gorgeous and the people are so genuine and kind.

Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: Ha! Please. Brook and I can take on anything -- as long as it doesn't require a lot of running.

What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race (other then winning one million bucks)? I'm running the Race to have a great adventure and for an “amazing” experience.

Pet peeve about your teammate: Brooke always looks good. Even when she wakes up in the morning it looks like she has a full face of make-up.

CBS-TAR

Chad and Stephanie

Chad Waltrip
Age: 26

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Connection to your Teammate: Boyfriend

Current occupation: Operations Manager

Favorite hobbies: Traveling, outdoor sports and cooking

Achievements: I've had a lot of success at my age within the company I work for, IST Management Services.

Lifelong to do list: Write a novel, complete an Ironman and run my own business

What scares you most about traveling? The thought of getting arrested while abroad for something I didn't do and not being able to get out of jail is a little terrifying.

What excites you most about traveling? The time leading up to the destination and the chance to see a totally different world from mine

If I could switch places with someone: Mathew McConaughey – It would be awesome to star in the movies he has been in as well as live life the way he does.

Role model/hero: My mom is definitely my biggest hero. She raised my brother and me alone for 11 years until she re-married. She always made sure we never lacked in experiencing life to the fullest or making excuses for why something couldn't be done. She passed away from cancer when I was 18 and fought until the very end.

What are you passionate about? I'm very passionate about living life to the fullest and getting to know all walks of life.

What would you do if you won the million dollars? If we were to win the million dollars, I would do my best to invest it wisely even though I might have to blow a little bit first.

People would be surprised to learn: I'm a great cook..

Favorite place you have ever visited: Ochos Rios, Jamaica

Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: Learning to communicate and take a back seat to each other will be our biggest hurdle on the road.

What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race (other then winning one million bucks)? I hope to grow as a person and as a couple. I really look to gain a whole new perspective on life from the travel and obstacles we will face.

Pet peeve about your teammate: She has a lot of great ideas, but does not always see them through.

Stephanie Smith
Age: 23

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Connection to your Teammate: Girlfriend

Current occupation: Hair Stylist

Favorite hobbies: Singing, swimming and water sports

Achievements: Biggest achievements include placing in the top 10 at Miss USA 2008 and being ranked nationally as a swimmer at age 14.

Lifelong to do list: It's really too long to list everything, but I want to start my own business, record my own CD, host a variety show and have a happy family of my own. To do these things, I have to keep setting goals and going after them with full force.

What scares you most about traveling? Breaking a law that I am unaware of

What excites you most about traveling? Learning about different cultures, people, religions and styles of clothing is what I look forward to most when traveling.

If I could switch places with someone: Celine Dion. I would love to know how it feels to perform as powerfully as she does.

Role model/hero: I have a lot of people I look up to for inspiration, my family and friends included. Although I have always been impressed with Kelly Ripa. You can't help but just love her.

What are you passionate about? I am passionate about whatever makes me happy. I am an enthusiastic person. If I like something and set out to achieve a goal, I am extremely passionate about that task.

What would you do if you won the million dollars? I would try to be a responsible young lady and pay school loans, have a family vacation and invest in another home. Maybe get a new wardrobe too.

People would be surprised to learn: I can sing. I was in a classic rock band in Charleston, S.C. I would love to start performing again.

Favorite place you have ever visited: I was a competitive swimmer growing up and was given the opportunity to train at the Colorado Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. It was a gorgeous place and such an exciting trip.

Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: Chad and I are so much alike. The things we love about each other are the same things we hate. Communication will be our biggest hurdle -- and his temper.

What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race (other then winning one million bucks)? All the positive and negative experiences of traveling with someone you love and then to see how he handles problems we will have to face together.

Pet peeve about your teammate: He can be inconsiderate of other people's feelings and he can be very brash.

CBS-TAR

Connor and Jonathon

Connor Diemand-Yauman
Age: 22

Hometown: Chesterland, Ohio

Connection to your Teammate: Best friend

Current occupation: Student

Favorite hobbies: Singing in our a cappella group, volunteering, speech/debate and sports

Achievements: Serving as student body President at Princeton University

Lifelong to do list: Beat Phil Keoghan in a foot race

What scares you most about traveling? Getting sick

What excites you most about traveling? New adventures and the unexpected

If I could switch places with someone: Shirley Tilghman (President of Princeton)

Role model/hero: Barack Obama

What are you passionate about? Show tunes.

What would you do if you won the million dollars? Withdraw the full amount in one-dollar bills, put it in a kiddie pool, jump in, jump out and take a shower (apparently money is really dirty).

People would be surprised to learn: Dalmatians are born without spots

Favorite place you have ever visited: Princeton, N.J.

Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: Staying in harmony (musically and competitively)

What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race (other then winning one million bucks)? An incredible experience and the chance for one last hurrah with Jonathan before we graduate and go off into the real world.

Pet peeve about your teammate: At times Jonathan can be overly concerned with getting in trouble and he's often afraid to break any sort of rules.

Jonathan Schwartz
Age: 22

Hometown: Cranford, N.J.

Connection to your Teammate: Best friend

Current occupation: Student

Favorite hobbies: Singing in our a cappella group, filmmaking and filling out surveys

Achievements: It's a three-way tie between getting into Princeton, being cast in a Broadway show and opening up that really tough jar of pickles in the back of my fridge.

Lifelong to do list: Make a lifelong to do list

What scares you most about traveling? The fact that other travelers are probably going to pass gas on airplanes without me hearing it

What excites you most about traveling? The opportunity for me to pass gas on airplanes without anyone hearing it

If I could switch places with someone: Yanni

Role model/hero: My parents, Mother Theresa and Kenny G (not necessarily in that order).

What are you passionate about? Tweezin' the old unibrow

What would you do if you won the million dollars? If I were to win the million dollars I would buy a pony, but just one.

People would be surprised to learn: That my name, “Jonathan,” is translated to mean “gift from God.” Coincidence? I think not.

Favorite place you have ever visited: My podiatrist's office (bunion surgery – more like “Fun-ion” surgery.)

Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: Not dying while circling the globe.

What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race (other then winning one million bucks)? On the Race, I hope to accomplish world peace, eradicate hunger and give Phil Keoghan a buzz cut.

Pet peeve about your teammate: He's taller than me.

CBS-TAR

Gary and Mallory

Gary Ervin
Age: 53

Hometown: Morganfield, Ky.

Connection to your Teammate: Father

Current occupation: Entrepreneur

Favorite hobbies: Triathlon, scuba diving and hunting/fishing

Achievements: Building a company from the ground up with my family to become one of the largest in the industry; getting my commercial pilots license and logging over 5000 hours; and, I wrestled and coached for University of Central Missouri and Union County High School.

Lifelong to do list: Be a better husband, father and friend

What scares you most about traveling? Being out of the country if something were to happen to my family

What excites you most about traveling? Learning about different people and cultures

If I could switch places with someone: No one – I'm not perfect, but I'm happy with who I am.

Role model/hero: My parents – I still strive to make them proud of me.

What are you passionate about? My family, work, faith and fitness

What would you do if you won the million dollars? If I were to win the million dollars I would help as many people with it as I could.

People would be surprised to learn: I ran 13 marathons and a half Ironman triathlon after I turned 45.

Favorite place you have ever visited: Ngoro Ngoro crater in Tanzania

Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: The biggest obstacle of running the Race will be living up to our family's expectation that we are going to win.

What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race (other then winning one million bucks)? I would like to win for my family and community. I hope to represent both well so that they will be proud of my effort.

Pet peeve about your teammate: My daughter has a stubborn streak -- a lot like me.

Mallory Ervin
Age: 24

Hometown: Lexington, Ky.

Connection to your Teammate: Daughter

Current occupation: Miss Kentucky 2009

Favorite hobbies: Performing, spending time with my family on our farm and thrill seeking activities like skydiving and bungee jumping

Achievements: I was very proud of being selected as 4th runner up at Miss America. It was something that I have worked and prepared for my entire life.

Lifelong to do list: Perform on Broadway! I also love motivational speaking and would love to find a way to continue this throughout my life. Lastly, I want to make my family proud.

What scares you most about traveling? Being out of the country if something was to happen to my family

What excites you most about traveling? I love diving blindly into new cultures and cities – the food, the language and the general attitude toward life. I also love that feeling that I have when I return home and realize all the good things that I have right here.

If I could switch places with someone: Phil, because he gets to do The Amazing Race every season.

Role model/hero: My dad

What are you passionate about? My family, singing and helping others find joy in life

What would you do if you won the million dollars? I would give some of it to the organizations that helped me along my way to achieve my dreams -- the Miss America and Miss Kentucky Organization, Autism Awareness as well as the Catholic grade school and public high school I attended. I would save or invest the rest. My father will probably disagree.

People would be surprised to learn: I've already made a million dollarsÂ… for charity. When I was Miss Kentucky I sold a country ham for 1.3 million dollars and all the money went to local charities in my state.

Favorite place you have ever visited: Rome, Italy

Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: We're both very stubborn so we will have to learn how to give a little. We also need to work on trusting each other.

What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race (other then winning one million bucks)? I hope to have the adventure of a lifetime and an experience to share with my Dad. He is a huge fan and has never missed an episode. It would mean a lot to him to be able to run the Race together.

Pet peeve about your teammate: Biggest pet peeve about my dad is that he never thinks about himself.

CBS-TAR