"Amazing Race" Grandmother-Grandaughter Duo Share Their Fitness Regimen

Going into its sixteenth season, CBS's "The Amazing Race" is the reality show known for pitting 11 teams of two ordinary people against each other in a race around the globe for a grand prize of $1 million.

While we realize this Sunday (aka Valentine's Day) may be filled with Godiva chocolates -- and maybe even hitting the gym with your loved one -- if you're an adventurer, travel enthusiast or just someone who likes to see others sweat, this reality show race is a must.

To whet your appetite before it premiere's on CBS at 8 p.m. ET, That's Fit spoke with one of season's more interesting racing pairs and fitness enthusiasts Jody and Shannon.

A former couch potato-turned-trainer, Jody is a 71-year-old triathlete who has completed 15 triathlons over the last three years. Her teammate and granddaughter Shannon loves travel, and is dedicated runner and swimmer. The two have trained for triathlons together, and believe that their active lifestyles will be an asset on the race.

Here's what they had to say about why they joined this season of "The Amazing Race," their pre-race fitness routine, and how the training has strengthened their bond.

That's Fit: Why did you both want to be on the show?

Jody: We were actually a recruited team; it was suggested that we apply. Once we received more details, it started sounding like a lot of fun, and it was a nice accompaniment to the triathlons and half marathons I was doing. I wanted to prove that a woman who was 71-years-old wasn't dead yet! That was my motive, in addition to spending time with my eldest granddaughter.

Shannon: I love to travel, and even did a semester abroad in China. While at first I was hesitant to be on a reality show, it seemed like so much fun because you get to travel and be constantly challenged. It's life condensed into a month.

TF: When did you begin competing in triathlons together, and how did this help and improve your relationship before and during training for the Amazing Race?

J: We started competing in triathlons together about two years ago. At the age of 69 I got up off of the couch and became incredibly active. Over the past three years I have completed 15 triathlons.

TF: What were you most looking forward to about the challenge? Least?

J: looking forward to travel, spending time with Shannon and seeing what I could do at my age. I was most nervous about not being able to step it up against the twenty-something teams. Mostly I wanted to inspire other older people.

S: I knew that travel tends to build relationships in a positive way, since you see what someone is capable of doing.


TF: So, how did you prepare for the race? What kind of workout routine were you following?

J: [Laughs] If anything, we were overly prepared. We did three Urban Adventure races. I even learned Sudoku and rekindled my interest in word games. I wanted to be mentally more agile than I had been.

I teach senior aerobics five days a week, which includes exercises like jumping jacks, so that was a good start. I also power lifting three days a week, a half hour of running four to five times a week, swimming twice a week, and a bike ride once a week. All in all, I trained for about two and a half hours a day. [Per the show's guidelines, Jody was not able to divulge to That's Fit how many weeks she trained for prior to the race.]

S: My workouts were definitely skewed toward running; I would run about four times a week, swim once a week, lift weights once a week, and do some cycling on weekends. Grandma and I also started doing Pilates one or two times per week the last couple of weeks before the race. We also did lots of walking because we knew that the race was going to require that we were on our feet all of the time. Grandma [Jody] practiced walking with weights in backpack, too. Another way that we built up our strength training was with Pilates.

Even if you don't plan on trying out for a spot on next season's "Amazing Race," you can still train using your own triathlon plan!