2. How f'n strong are the Gaghan parents???? They must be like the Hulk and She-Hulk. Every team who did the Battlefield Detour had trouble with it. Even the teams with 3 strong racers (i.e. Linz, Aiellos, Paolos).

Two slight boys on the Paolo team, three younger (but not necessarily strong) guys on the Linz team, and three married, past-their-20s (not that you have to be young or single to be successful in these challenges) men on the Aiello team...

Versus

Two tiny children and parents who run marathons. They might not be the strongest team in the world, but they have trained to increase endurance and stamina, and that's all these challenges are really about.

Most people, even out of shape, can carry another person, but they had to carry 5 across a very wide and sprawling field. That takes endurance and stamina, not brute strength. As someone who used to run recreationally, that counts for more than you are allowing. I have more strength now, I would guess, but I would have done better in these challenges when I was running and training daily.

And as to the first comment, the "spies" were roving. She got lucky. The spy was not planted.

If they train for marathons that could make a huge difference.

The fittest looking peeps are not always the ones with the most endurance. Most of the people I know that do triathalons and marathons don't look that impressive physically, but would be able to kick butt on these kinds of physical challenges.

Being young and fit looking doesn't always mean you've got any real fitness.

There is always some team in these luck challenges that get the clue very fast and some that have really bad luck with them. Sometimes it is an early arriving team that has the worst luck and teams that arrive later when the odds should be worse get it right off the bat. (thinking the hay bale challenge last year where I think Phil finally had to leave the pitstop and go to the hayfield to eliminate them)

I hereby declare you: 'Blacksmith of the Underworld'--ZombieBaby

There clearly are effects from the type of training you have.

Remember Lori and Bolo? When it came to raw strenght they were great - note the cannon balls and cannon event where they seemed to have no problems. On the otherhand Bolo sucked at the rope climb, being passed by girls with a fraction of his muscles.

It looks like the Gaghan bodies are in top shape, but are thier minds? Too many Lori & Bolo type slip-ups will doom they as well, they must start thinking carefully.

Did CBS give them lighter soldiers???

I think they all picked their own soldiers. I remember someone saying "there's one over there".

And like someone else mentioned, two in-shape adults and their in-shape kids would do well in a physical challenge while 4 out-of-shape adults (or even just 2 out-of-shape) would struggle. Also, I noticed that the Gaghans have great attitudes and sometimes that can make all the difference.

siggie by ARnutz

YOU better not be picking on my Mommy and Daddy! They Rock! We Rock! We are marathon runners!

dork