by Gina Scarpa

 

Superfans Gary and Will started out The Amazing Race excited to finally be part of their favorite reality competition, but things didn't go exactly as they had hoped or planned. They spent much of their time in the race just fighting to stay in it and the time in the competition came to an end this week in Bangladesh. A tough Road Block, in which one team member had to repair a broken bus, cost them precious time that they ultimately could not make up. We talked to the substitute teachers today in an exclusive interview about the ups and downs of The Amazing Race, and what they took away from their experience.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: When did you first start applying to The Amazing Race?
A. Gary: We started applying in the 6th season. We applied 7 or 8 times. We applied for the 6th season and it said do not apply more than once.
A. Will: But we just kept bugging them!

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What did you like about the other one, in terms of a partnership for the race?
A. Will: Gary is very good at figuring things out and reading a map.
A. Gary: Will is very competitive, he's won numerous marathons, 19 marathons. He's an athlete and I was along more for the mental challenges.
A. Will: We've known eachother for 35 years. He overcame his fear of heights.
A. Gary: And I was never on a plane before Las Vegas.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: From never being on a flight to flying all around the world! How was that for you?
A. Gary: After the first flight it was so easy! After a couple hours, it was no big deal.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Having been such fans of the show, what was it like to actually be running the race?
A. Will: We didn't know how hard it would be with the locals because they don't speak our language. Just getting from Point A to B was very challenging.
A. Gary: It is so much harder in person and live. You don't see what's involved in going from Point A to B, all the people you have to talk to. All the people who have been nasty to the local people, we said before the race that we are going to treat the people with dignity and respect. We're representing the race, and the United States. These cab drivers... this might be their whole week's pay. We were pretty generous.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: The balloon making challenge was so tough on you Will but you ended up pulling it together and getting it done. How were you able to regroup and get it done?
A. Will: I was so in shock when I found out I had to make balloon animals. But Gary may have seemed like he was yelling at me, but he was encouraging me. I finished it and thanks to him, I never could've done it without him.
A. Gary: I've never seen him like that before. He was shaking, but I just had to keep on pushing him.
A. Will: Everywhere we go, people ask me to make balloons!

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: I'm sure you never want to see another balloon again! Was that the toughest task for you?
A. Gary: That might have been for Will, but the bus in Bangladesh is what cost us the race. Ultimately, I could not make up the time we had lost. We caught up to Trey and Lexi, and eventually they did get ahead of us.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You said it yourselves that you were in the back of the pack for most of the race. Were you able to form good friendships with the other teams or was it hard because there were some that you were hardly around?
A. Will: I mean, we were in the back so we didn't see much of the people. We got to know people that were in the back. We love Rob and Sheila. If we could go back, we would've told them where the clue was.
A. Gary: The people we met, when you start the race, you want to like them. But after you share this bond, you get something with them that's never going to be broken.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What's the biggest thing you took away from finally being on The Amazing Race?
A. Will: I saw a moped in Indonesia. I saw a mother, father, and 3 kids on it going to school We don't know how good we have it in the United States. I'm also very happy that Gary was able to overcome his fear of flying.
A. Gary: To me, we have opportunities here in the United States that aren't afforded in other places in the world. That's what I try to push on my kids in school. It showed me that no matter where we are, we're all the same. We all want a chance to learn and grow.

 

 

The Amazing Race airs Sundays at 8/7c on CBS.

 

(Image courtesy of CBS)

Follow Gina @ginascarpa