Interview ‘The Amazing Race Canada’ contestants Sam and Brad

Sam and Brad , the fourth eliminated team from “The Amazing Race Canada,” shared their reflections on their journey during an interview with “The Extra Mile”

TEM (The Extra Mile) : What got you motivated to go on the show, and whose idea was it?

Sam: It was my idea. For the last few years, I’ve actually been wanting to do this race with my dad, and we just never found the right time that worked with your schedule. I’ve always been, let’s go, I’ll drop anything, I want to do this race. So, yeah, this year we made it work, and it’s such a great experience.

Brad: We’re fortunate to be selected to be one of the teams. You know, going through the process, didn’t know how that was going to end, but it gave us enough lead time, a month and a half prior to going, to really immerse yourself in it. The coolest part was dropping your phone and not being a part of the world for a month. And being eliminated, coming back, and actually knowing how many messages did you miss and what’s going to be waiting for you was a little daunting, I think. I just wish I never had a phone again.

TEM:  So, when you said it took you like a month and a half, what was the preparation like? What did you guys do to prepare for the show?

Sam: I got a personal trainer. I wanted to get my cardio up and just get in the best shape that I could be in for this race. When it really comes down to mental, I realized while being on the show, a lot of it is the mental aspect to it.

Brad: Yeah, but you actually… Yeah, we worked out. We do some late night runs. You know, just trying to get more active. If I could go back, I would go to a dance studio and learn how to actually count bars of music and steps. That would have helped me in the end. But I don’t think you can prepare for this kind of stuff. It’s basically whatever you’ve done through your life, whatever that is, you’re coming in with those skills and those memories. But doing these challenges, it’s not about being in the best shape. It’s not about being the smartest. It’s a collection of all of it and having the right partner that’s going to fill in the gaps that you missed yourself.

Sam: So true. Communication and all of it. There’s so many different things.

Brad: Yeah, the dynamics were really fun, really cool. The whole month together for Sam and I was amazing.

TEM: So what would you guys say is the one thing that each of you brought to the team?

Brad: I want to hear Sam first.

Sam : I don’t know. I think, honestly, I could lean on you at any time. Like, if I was struggling, or if I was running, or I’m like, oh my gosh, I knew always, like, if I needed to take off my backpack to give it to my dad for a minute, to get that air and catch back up, he could handle it. Like, no matter what, I was never worried that my dad wouldn’t be able to keep up with me. Like, no matter what, he always pushes himself. Even if he’s saying he can’t, he can’t, it’s always, no, he will. Like, he always pushes himself to that limit, so I could always rely on you. That was a big thing.

Brad:  I like that. I like that. I love compliments, actually. I think, speaking of, I could talk about a number of things, but how incredibly smart and intuitive Sam is. And that was maybe one of the first dynamics that, or our personalities, of what had to change was not be dad and daughter. Dad knows, you know, listen to me, follow me, kind of thing. You’re my daughter. As a dad, 52 years old, you know what? Take the backseat and listen to her because she’s right, and she’s on it. And not only by how intuitive you were and are, I wouldn’t see that on a day-to-day basis because we don’t spend that much time together doing this race or being together. I’m incredibly impressed, the growth of my young daughter.

TEM: So what would you say your favorite challenge was then?

Sam : I love the cars. And the football was really fun. I was just more surprised at the football. I didn’t think, going into that challenge, I was like, oh my god, it could be me today. It was like, I don’t know if I’m going to get out of this. Like, overwhelmed. No, that was really fun. But I loved driving the trucks. And Penticton, I believe it was. Yeah, it was beautiful to do that. And it was hard. Yeah, it was a hard challenge, but very fulfilling to finish it.

Brad: think all of them were great for me, but the one that’s memorable was when we were in the Dirty Laundry Vineyard, which is just north of Penticton. And we were there and trying to figure out, and for the viewers that maybe watched and are going to see this, we had to crush grapes, obviously, stomp them with your feet, and get a certain amount of grape juice inside this jug that had this sieve on the top. What you don’t know is you start pouring the juice from stomping the grapes, the skins from the grapes actually cover all the holes in the sieve. Once it was actually imbedded, like, inside the metal, you know, meshing, you couldn’t get rid of it. Until Sam’s like, hey, you gotta blow on this thing, whatever. And which was actually, it was really funny. We had a really good time.

Sam: Yeah, we were crying laughing at that challenge. It was so funny and also just so disturbing. One day it was like, oh, we need to start blowing, and then oh my god.

Brad: But Julia and Olivia, one of the other teams, they actually used their sock as like a cheesecloth. Why didn’t I know that. As soon as I heard that that’s what they did, I’m like, oh my gosh, like, why didn’t we figure that out? But every challenge has many solutions, and sometimes you have to grind through it. But if I could go back, there’s a few things I’d kind of do differently. I don’t know if it would change anything, but don’t you think there’s a few things that you would do?

Sam: Oh, for sure, yeah, after winning the race, yeah, for sure.

Brad: But hopefully they invite us back because we were a lot of fun, and we get invited back for another season.

TEM: So what’s one advice that you would give to future contestants that kind of want to come on the Amazing Race Canada?

Sam: Do it. I mean… Just put in your application. Be yourself. Obviously, if you have that outgoing, excited nature to you, and you have that kind of personality, you’re going to do great. Showcase that as best as you can. Yeah, I mean, go for it. I love doing this with my dad. Just pick your partner. Choose the right partner. I’d say being opposites. Opposites do attract in this race. Having all different kind of characteristics and skills can be very beneficial.

Brad: Yeah, I would say you got to do it. It was incredible. Two things. It’s a vacation or a trip that you could never pay for. It’s an experience that I’m forever grateful for. I don’t care. He’s picked the right partner, but at the end of the day, all the teams, I’d expect them all to say the same thing, is each one of their relationships, like Samantha and I, are better, bigger, better, stronger now after that experience together. It kind of challenges you in certain ways, but then when you actually have those lucid moments where you’re like, to stop and smell the roses where you were, those are the best moments. Where we could just sit there. We were disconnected from the world. We didn’t have social media. Didn’t have our phones. Had no money.Y ou know, basically, we’re being, our hands held, you know, telling you where you’re going to go the next day or whatever it was.

Sam: But when will you ever get that chance and that opportunity to be in that kind of world and actually not be on your phone for a month? Probably never, probably never again. Never again. So, it’s a truly unique experience. Apply. Yeah. Thank you for sharing that.

TEM: We’re all here all about going the extra mile. So, what was one thing that each one of you would say that you do on your day-to-day where you go the extra mile?

Sam: I wake up every morning and me and my boyfriend will send three things we’re grateful for for the day. And just start our day like that, and seriously it puts a new perspective on your day and just a positive outlook. So that’s something that I do. What about you?

Brad: For me, number one, I think that being kind. Recognizing, and I think there’s a number of lessons I learned from The Amazing Race, but be kind to everybody. Wake up, make a difference. And that difference could be a small thing, from a smile to a hello. But look around, be aware of who’s around you. There’s people that are struggling on the street. There’s families. You don’t know what mental headspace that person’s in that just cut you off in the car. You know, why lean on your horn? I go the extra mile to make people’s days, to make them smile. And it’s actually the easiest thing you can do in life. It’s harder to avoid all those situations. So for me, it’s about thinking about others before yourself.

Watch the The Amazing Race Canada every Tuesday 9pm ET on CTV