fear of heights, claustrophobic, out of shape, directionally challenged, and social anxiety. lol. Suffice it to say i race around the world vicariously.
At my house we’ve titled ourselves “armchair racers” haha. We’re also “armchair olympians” when watching the Olympics. My reasons for racing vicariously are pretty similar to yours btw.
I don’t handle pressure situations well so I would probably snap at my teammate and then they’d never speak to me again lol. That and the fact I’m disabled now definitely would keep me off the show.
There's one episode from another country (i think Thailand) where these two female racers reached the finish line last and were eliminated. They then got mad at each other while the camera is still filming them
[I wonder if they could be misremembering a little and thinking of this elimination](https://youtu.be/9-Tu22oS2Oo?si=0E4GcVCDxepBVRz9). They don’t really get mad at each other, but are PISSED at the team that beat them to the mat by like seconds. Supposedly there was a head-to-head challenge that leg that wasn’t aired. Which made the tension even worse (the team eliminated lost to the team that beat them).
I would HATE the long travel days lol or in the old amazing race (idk if they still do this, haven’t watched a new season in a while) where they would sleep on the airport floor or on a bench, i think i would breakdown crying lol
I'm very afraid of heights and I don't think it's an irrational fear at all. Being afraid of bubbles? Irrational. Being afraid of falling to your death? Not really.
My inability to talk to strangers. If there was some "selling something on the streets" challenge it would be all over. Introversion and social anxiety would do me in.
This is how I feel about market challenges or negotiating with cabs. I could never to someone's face be like, "that's too much money, I want to pay less!"
I wouldn't win but I would be great for TV 😂😂 I'll be that one dude always so confident but have to do a roadblock like 20 times or so confident and go in the wrong direction,
I feel like I would take in the enviroment more. Like this season when the teams went to Columbia and climbed the El Penon de Guatape, most teams just went straight to the clue box, read the clue, and left. I know I would stand up there for at least an hour taking in the view. I mean, when will I ever be back to do it again? This will cost me time and ultimately the race at some point.
I was about to comment this exact same thing! I like a nice slow pace where I get to stop and appreciate my surroundings. Stopping to be alone with my thoughts would cost me at every turn.
I get hangry, like SO hangry. I would probably punch a crew member and shove my partner into the ocean unless I was allowed to bring some protein bars with me.
When Phil comes out and says, “If you think you have what it takes to win the Amazing Race “ I’m like “Phil, I barely have what it takes to watch the Amazing Race.”
Survivor is even worse, no way I would make it past the first night. I'd wake up with neck spasms from laying (not sleeping, no way I could sleep) on bamboo all night. Or get heat exhaustion, vertigo, or a migraine. Plantar fasciitis would be my biggest Amazing Race issue right now, they do so much running around all day.
History buff here - no way on earth that I get access "behind the scenes" at some historical location and NOT stay to savor every moment they let me remain there. Also a cave junkie - so yeah, it's not going to be a quick in/out or shoot through fast.
I'm a terrible navigator. I have no sense of direction, and even if I were the driver I'd constantly turn left instead of right because that's just... a thing I do.
My bladder. I stress pee and it gets worse when I can't identify when my next access to a toilet is. That and my stomach is ultra sensitive to other countries' food. I'm always sick in foreign countries.
I would second guess myself constantly and worry that I was going the wrong way or that I’d missed a turn.
I’d probably be like the Jeff Spicoli twins from this season who switched detours 4 times or whatever.
I don’t do well in very stressful situations, and I have a short fuse and a controlling nature. If I went on the show with a significant other, I would probably snap at them a lot and the fans would probably hate me for that.
I can drive a standard, but I'm not sure I could survive without using GPS. I haven't used a paper map in years. I don't understand why they don't all have GPS in the cars they get for the contestants. If everyone has it, it's not unfair. Plus, everyone just makes some stranger look it up on their phone, anyway.
Oh, wow- that’s an actual issue. I thought you were joking, like, “I’m wanted for jewel theft in South America” My sympathy though- terrible how intolerant some cultures are.
Food. Merchants. Culture. Basically, the most important reasons for traveling in the first place. I would be sick from missing out on all the things I’d be running past.
I'm really bad at memorizing prose and poetry. I'd need twice as long as every other team. If it was a visual memorization I'd be OK, but something like the Declaration task would be many many attempts.
My husband and I always say we think we'd be good at TAR, we both have so many strengths that would work well for us on the race...except for the fact that I'm absolutely terrified of flying on an airplane. Don't know why I have the fear or what ever made me so afraid, but it's a guaranteed anxiety attack any time we even get close to an airport. That'd probably make it hard for us to even race, let alone win 😏
I can get in shape, I can probably learn to handle eating weird stuff, but there's no way to get over my fear of heights. Bungee humoring, scaling down buildings, traversing across a bridge that's not really a bridge? Time penalty please.
I feel I'd get caught up a bit trying to take in all the locations. They go to some very iconic places that most people who travel to the country as a tourist, still would never see. Rarely do you see a contestant stop and truly admire something, as every minute is crucial. It usually just gets a quick "that was cool" comment and immediately moves on.
I genuinely believe I could do The Amazing Race if I get back into athletic form and get some health issues under control.
I have a paralyzing fear of rodents and would have to take a penalty in any challenge that involved them. I can only think of like 3 such challenges in the U.S. version, but still. I’m also a bad swimmer and get super anxious in cars unless I’m driving, and I can’t drive a stick
By the way, this was not in any way intended to minimize your fear - we all have them! It just makes me smile when I think back to that scene with Sunny and Bizzy. 😊
Oh, good. 😊 It was SO funny! Unfortunately, I rarely get to watch live and had to watch that particular episode a day or two later, but this was one of those times when I couldn’t wait to come here to see the comments in the live discussion thread! 😂
Being Canadian, and basically intelligible for the main race, and having no one to race with.
Assuming I somehow overcame both of those, a lack of endurance and inability to drive stick.
Honestly, I think the city driving would do me in. I have no problem with driving a stick (it’s been a while, but I actually learned on one), but the combination of heavy traffic in an area with which I’m unfamiliar, the stress of the race, annnnd a camera person in the vehicle with me? NOPE. I can practically feel an anxiety attack coming on!
Also, as others have mentioned, I would want to stop and pet ALL of the dogs, cats, and even camels (hey…they’re really quite adorable!) 😊
I legitimately think I'd have a great chance to win, I just need a partner who is as ready as I am.
But if anything were to trip me up, probably the self navigation in foreign countries? That definitely seems to trip up a lot of teams
Edit: Just remembered I can't swim lol that could pretty easily fuck me over or prevent me from even getting on the show
I’m not good at running at all! All my life I’ve never been able to run well or even jog well, I get small short bursts then I’m done in! So if there was a race episode like they did with the fries running around the course I would fail! And the other thing is if you had swim under water to grab something I couldn’t do that I’ve tried and I just float up lol
there’s like a 99% chance i would lock my keys in the car at some point. i do it enough in every day life, if i was rushing in the race it would be much more likely. and what do i even do at that point? is there someone who can come to unlock the car or do we just have to find a different way to travel? if there’s no other transportation do we just give up? idk. i’d probably just end up losing
1. Physical endurance
2. Easily driven insane by having to fit small thing into other small thing (threading a needle, for instance), or tasks which require a similar amount of mental and visual focus on something small or far
My girlfriend and I like to gloss over our fear of heights and say things like “well we can’t drive stick so we can’t go on the race…” yeah… that’s why…
1. I want to pet all the random dogs and cats.
2. Bad sense of direction.
3. Unwilling to bungee jump/fall straight down.
4. Cranky when hungry or sleepy.
5. Out of shape. Two 25,000 step days at Disney World require several days of recovery. I feel like this would require me to walk more than the 6000 to 8000 steps I am currently comfortable with.
Mostly the dog thing and the falling thing though.
Heights if they walk across a canyon or bungie jump or something. I'm fine with climbing or repelling.
Also overthinking everything and trying to read too deep into the meaning of each word in the clues.
I would be really terrible at many of the challenges. I would try to eat gross things, attempt the physical labor and think that the adrenaline would help me with social ones.....but i have no rhythm or music capability, am terrible at building things and panic under pressure.
The challenge in S23 where they had to build a musical instrument and get the parts lined up to play a rhythm comes to mind, Nicole (the husband/wife doctor team) completely broke and was unable to complete it and ended up begging another contestant to help her. She panicked after it wasn't coming together and seeing other teams pass her and didn't have an "ear" for music. I empathized with her because she was a doctor who handled much higher stakes but she let the race pressure get to her and you will never win if you do that. Plus her husband was good at all the challenges and judged her when she wasn't which didn't help lol.
I have a fear of water and bad ankles. My husband has a fear of heights, is directionally challenged and can’t drive a stick. I can’t read the map & drive so I need to find a new partner 🤔
Hiking or even walking up hills. Kills my lungs. I try to push, but it’s just miserable. I am terribly slow and uncoordinated when it comes to running, too. And I hate shlepping. This past season I noticed some teams only used one backpack, rather than one per person. I’d definitely have to do that, and then make my spouse carry it.
I can’t drive. I would need to go on with someone who can drive but if there’s ever a roadblock that involves driving and I have to do it…good luck. Also according to everyone in my family I am horrible with directions so. I’m pretty claustrophobic but it’s something I can get over for a competition. But ngl even though I’m against getting my license and driving, the only thing that would encourage me to learn would be the amazing race
Too many to list all of them here- but, can’t swim, directionally challenged, and my husband and I would probably argue incessantly . First eliminated for sure.
I would be looking at the Camera person to see if they were filming something that would lead to a clue or I would be swearing the entire time. Like the entire fucking time.
fear of heights, claustrophobic, out of shape, directionally challenged, and social anxiety. lol. Suffice it to say i race around the world vicariously.
I have all of those but the social anxiety. Plus, I don't want to eat gross stuff.
lol yes that too!
All of this! Plus I don’t like driving, especially in strange places
At my house we’ve titled ourselves “armchair racers” haha. We’re also “armchair olympians” when watching the Olympics. My reasons for racing vicariously are pretty similar to yours btw.
love it! and excited for this year's Olympics too!
I don’t handle pressure situations well so I would probably snap at my teammate and then they’d never speak to me again lol. That and the fact I’m disabled now definitely would keep me off the show.
There's one episode from another country (i think Thailand) where these two female racers reached the finish line last and were eliminated. They then got mad at each other while the camera is still filming them
What season was that? I want to look it up and watch it lol
[I wonder if they could be misremembering a little and thinking of this elimination](https://youtu.be/9-Tu22oS2Oo?si=0E4GcVCDxepBVRz9). They don’t really get mad at each other, but are PISSED at the team that beat them to the mat by like seconds. Supposedly there was a head-to-head challenge that leg that wasn’t aired. Which made the tension even worse (the team eliminated lost to the team that beat them).
I would probably misread the clues.
I, on the other hand, with my OCD, would waste precious time rereading and rereading the clue. Haha!
I could see myself doing that, as well!
I, with my ADHD, might see myself doing either.
I would HATE the long travel days lol or in the old amazing race (idk if they still do this, haven’t watched a new season in a while) where they would sleep on the airport floor or on a bench, i think i would breakdown crying lol
I'm very afraid of heights and I don't think it's an irrational fear at all. Being afraid of bubbles? Irrational. Being afraid of falling to your death? Not really.
My inability to talk to strangers. If there was some "selling something on the streets" challenge it would be all over. Introversion and social anxiety would do me in.
and also the anxiety of finding strangers that would actually help you. Most would just ignore you
This is how I feel about market challenges or negotiating with cabs. I could never to someone's face be like, "that's too much money, I want to pay less!"
My dumb ADHD brain would forget my backpack somewhere at every leg.
This would be me!! I’d probably lose my passport or something lol
i would be afraid of losing the wallet or car key
You’d be like Jana and Cor from the most recent Australian season
Lmaooo yes exactly! Twice in row they forgot something, wasn’t it? Love them though.
I wouldn't win but I would be great for TV 😂😂 I'll be that one dude always so confident but have to do a roadblock like 20 times or so confident and go in the wrong direction,
I feel like I would take in the enviroment more. Like this season when the teams went to Columbia and climbed the El Penon de Guatape, most teams just went straight to the clue box, read the clue, and left. I know I would stand up there for at least an hour taking in the view. I mean, when will I ever be back to do it again? This will cost me time and ultimately the race at some point.
I was about to comment this exact same thing! I like a nice slow pace where I get to stop and appreciate my surroundings. Stopping to be alone with my thoughts would cost me at every turn.
I get hangry, like SO hangry. I would probably punch a crew member and shove my partner into the ocean unless I was allowed to bring some protein bars with me.
This completely cracked me up!
I would see a cat...in which case I would stop to pet it or try to make it my friend so I could pet it hahah
Any dog for me 😂
You would see a lot in Turkey.
I think i'd make it to the end where I would heartbreakingly fail at a memory challenge or riddle and get 2nd or 3rd
If we went to a cat country that would be it for me
My daughter would just take the penalty at every challenge and pet and hold kitties all day 😻
When Phil comes out and says, “If you think you have what it takes to win the Amazing Race “ I’m like “Phil, I barely have what it takes to watch the Amazing Race.”
Survivor is even worse, no way I would make it past the first night. I'd wake up with neck spasms from laying (not sleeping, no way I could sleep) on bamboo all night. Or get heat exhaustion, vertigo, or a migraine. Plantar fasciitis would be my biggest Amazing Race issue right now, they do so much running around all day.
That’s hilarious!
History buff here - no way on earth that I get access "behind the scenes" at some historical location and NOT stay to savor every moment they let me remain there. Also a cave junkie - so yeah, it's not going to be a quick in/out or shoot through fast.
I am very headstrong, bad at navigation and have zero patience.
I'm a terrible navigator. I have no sense of direction, and even if I were the driver I'd constantly turn left instead of right because that's just... a thing I do.
I’m fat
I can see it now: "canadasteve04's teammate is required to do this roadblock due to weight limits"
Total incapacitation due to motion sickness as a result of failure of preventative medicine.
Can't drive and a bazillion health issues,
being unfit lol id run out of breath SO fast... that's why im gonna start working out that and my anxiety would ruin it because it's a race
what id want to do is pretend not to be in a race but my heart would beat so fast and id be in my head
I would stop to pat all the dogs
My partner and I have addressed. We would probably forget we were racing and Phil would have to find us before we left to go back home on our own.
Adhd
My bladder. I stress pee and it gets worse when I can't identify when my next access to a toilet is. That and my stomach is ultra sensitive to other countries' food. I'm always sick in foreign countries.
I'd need to find a restroom a lot.
I would second guess myself constantly and worry that I was going the wrong way or that I’d missed a turn. I’d probably be like the Jeff Spicoli twins from this season who switched detours 4 times or whatever.
I don’t do well in very stressful situations, and I have a short fuse and a controlling nature. If I went on the show with a significant other, I would probably snap at them a lot and the fans would probably hate me for that.
My raging IBS 😅
Which gets worse in stressful situations
It would definitely not be because of plants.
I can drive a standard, but I'm not sure I could survive without using GPS. I haven't used a paper map in years. I don't understand why they don't all have GPS in the cars they get for the contestants. If everyone has it, it's not unfair. Plus, everyone just makes some stranger look it up on their phone, anyway.
Can't go to certain foreign countries without potentially being jailed
Haha! Why?
My potential race partner is non-binary. Only 3 non-cisgender people have ever raced on the Race, and none of them on the American version
Oh, wow- that’s an actual issue. I thought you were joking, like, “I’m wanted for jewel theft in South America” My sympathy though- terrible how intolerant some cultures are.
I would never win because I’m not a US citizen. Therefore I can’t compete
Food. Merchants. Culture. Basically, the most important reasons for traveling in the first place. I would be sick from missing out on all the things I’d be running past.
A penalty for sabotaging other teams.
i would be afraid of running out of money to get a taxi ride to somewhere. Or if there's any challenges that require you to spend money.
“Can I use your phone to download a plant identification app to see what kind of tree this is?” 😂
They would probably penalize me because im a crazy ass driver and would lose my crew.
I'm really bad at memorizing prose and poetry. I'd need twice as long as every other team. If it was a visual memorization I'd be OK, but something like the Declaration task would be many many attempts.
My fiance and I keep saying that if we thought we were last we'd head to the bar. Hard to comeback and win from a bar
My husband and I always say we think we'd be good at TAR, we both have so many strengths that would work well for us on the race...except for the fact that I'm absolutely terrified of flying on an airplane. Don't know why I have the fear or what ever made me so afraid, but it's a guaranteed anxiety attack any time we even get close to an airport. That'd probably make it hard for us to even race, let alone win 😏
I can get in shape, I can probably learn to handle eating weird stuff, but there's no way to get over my fear of heights. Bungee humoring, scaling down buildings, traversing across a bridge that's not really a bridge? Time penalty please.
I am unfit and have a heart condition. I’d really struggle with any challenges requiring significant agility or stamina.
(But I feel hubs and I would kick A$$ at navigation/driving.)
Any task that would involve dancing/choreography.
I feel I'd get caught up a bit trying to take in all the locations. They go to some very iconic places that most people who travel to the country as a tourist, still would never see. Rarely do you see a contestant stop and truly admire something, as every minute is crucial. It usually just gets a quick "that was cool" comment and immediately moves on. I genuinely believe I could do The Amazing Race if I get back into athletic form and get some health issues under control.
I have a paralyzing fear of rodents and would have to take a penalty in any challenge that involved them. I can only think of like 3 such challenges in the U.S. version, but still. I’m also a bad swimmer and get super anxious in cars unless I’m driving, and I can’t drive a stick
But…but…what about FUN rats that ski and do yoga??? 😉
By the way, this was not in any way intended to minimize your fear - we all have them! It just makes me smile when I think back to that scene with Sunny and Bizzy. 😊
You made me laugh! And so did that challenge. I was shocked, I’m very good at visual puzzles and this one was sooooo easy!
Oh, good. 😊 It was SO funny! Unfortunately, I rarely get to watch live and had to watch that particular episode a day or two later, but this was one of those times when I couldn’t wait to come here to see the comments in the live discussion thread! 😂
Being Canadian, and basically intelligible for the main race, and having no one to race with. Assuming I somehow overcame both of those, a lack of endurance and inability to drive stick.
Fear of having to go to the bathroom in a public location. Actually, the fear of public locations in general, I guess.
Honestly, I think the city driving would do me in. I have no problem with driving a stick (it’s been a while, but I actually learned on one), but the combination of heavy traffic in an area with which I’m unfamiliar, the stress of the race, annnnd a camera person in the vehicle with me? NOPE. I can practically feel an anxiety attack coming on! Also, as others have mentioned, I would want to stop and pet ALL of the dogs, cats, and even camels (hey…they’re really quite adorable!) 😊
I legitimately think I'd have a great chance to win, I just need a partner who is as ready as I am. But if anything were to trip me up, probably the self navigation in foreign countries? That definitely seems to trip up a lot of teams Edit: Just remembered I can't swim lol that could pretty easily fuck me over or prevent me from even getting on the show
I’m not good at running at all! All my life I’ve never been able to run well or even jog well, I get small short bursts then I’m done in! So if there was a race episode like they did with the fries running around the course I would fail! And the other thing is if you had swim under water to grab something I couldn’t do that I’ve tried and I just float up lol
there’s like a 99% chance i would lock my keys in the car at some point. i do it enough in every day life, if i was rushing in the race it would be much more likely. and what do i even do at that point? is there someone who can come to unlock the car or do we just have to find a different way to travel? if there’s no other transportation do we just give up? idk. i’d probably just end up losing
Food challenges for sure. I’m a selective eater Also anything involving swimming coz I’m not good at it.
1. Physical endurance 2. Easily driven insane by having to fit small thing into other small thing (threading a needle, for instance), or tasks which require a similar amount of mental and visual focus on something small or far
My girlfriend and I like to gloss over our fear of heights and say things like “well we can’t drive stick so we can’t go on the race…” yeah… that’s why…
Sightseeing…I’m a wanderer and photographer. My partner would be doing the tasks and I’d be looking for a camera. 😂
I get way too tired easily, and I was never fast to begin with.
Well because I got the attention span of a goldfish I really don't I would be able to notice what I did wrong on the organization tasts
same since i suck at driving and directions + suck at puzzles x.x
Me either. I'd be arguing with my mom and brother a lot.
I can't eat gross stuff, and I'm allergic to capsaicin. Plus I've developed an autoimmune disease where fatigue hits really hard, really fast.
All the nerves and sweating my ass off would make me have to defecate frequently I feel like.
1. I want to pet all the random dogs and cats. 2. Bad sense of direction. 3. Unwilling to bungee jump/fall straight down. 4. Cranky when hungry or sleepy. 5. Out of shape. Two 25,000 step days at Disney World require several days of recovery. I feel like this would require me to walk more than the 6000 to 8000 steps I am currently comfortable with. Mostly the dog thing and the falling thing though.
Heights if they walk across a canyon or bungie jump or something. I'm fine with climbing or repelling. Also overthinking everything and trying to read too deep into the meaning of each word in the clues.
I have IBS. When I'm stressed out I can't stop pooping. I'd never make it out of the bathroom during the first leg.
Na I’m winning. If we get casted 😂
I’m too fat and can’t run or do a lot of stairs.
I don’t like running, and I prefer to stay home 😂
Bad sense of direction!
I would be really terrible at many of the challenges. I would try to eat gross things, attempt the physical labor and think that the adrenaline would help me with social ones.....but i have no rhythm or music capability, am terrible at building things and panic under pressure. The challenge in S23 where they had to build a musical instrument and get the parts lined up to play a rhythm comes to mind, Nicole (the husband/wife doctor team) completely broke and was unable to complete it and ended up begging another contestant to help her. She panicked after it wasn't coming together and seeing other teams pass her and didn't have an "ear" for music. I empathized with her because she was a doctor who handled much higher stakes but she let the race pressure get to her and you will never win if you do that. Plus her husband was good at all the challenges and judged her when she wasn't which didn't help lol.
I have a fear of water and bad ankles. My husband has a fear of heights, is directionally challenged and can’t drive a stick. I can’t read the map & drive so I need to find a new partner 🤔
My mom and I are convinced that we could win the amazing race… except for the fact that I get crippling motion sickness in cars, planes, and boats :(
Id self detour at every thrift and op shop.
I’d be worrying about when i’d be able to go to the bathroom next
Hiking or even walking up hills. Kills my lungs. I try to push, but it’s just miserable. I am terribly slow and uncoordinated when it comes to running, too. And I hate shlepping. This past season I noticed some teams only used one backpack, rather than one per person. I’d definitely have to do that, and then make my spouse carry it.
Physical challenges.
I can’t drive. I would need to go on with someone who can drive but if there’s ever a roadblock that involves driving and I have to do it…good luck. Also according to everyone in my family I am horrible with directions so. I’m pretty claustrophobic but it’s something I can get over for a competition. But ngl even though I’m against getting my license and driving, the only thing that would encourage me to learn would be the amazing race
I’m Bad with directions, can’t drive stick shift, gets road rage, and I’m terrified to try new foods and am a really picky eater.
I think they dumbed the competition too much so non athletic folks are competitive - DEI ?
Too many to list all of them here- but, can’t swim, directionally challenged, and my husband and I would probably argue incessantly . First eliminated for sure.
I couldn’t do it with my SO. She gets us lost all of the time. Or will say turn here as we speed by. lol.
I’d probably get U turned for being too good and that could get me eliminated. Can’t think of anything else.
I would be looking at the Camera person to see if they were filming something that would lead to a clue or I would be swearing the entire time. Like the entire fucking time.