TAMPA, Fla. — A new season of The Amazing Race premieres tonight on 10 Tampa Bay. A total of 13 teams will go on an adventure around the world, and one of those teams is from Tampa.
Iliana Rivera, a 27-year-old business owner and her mom Elizabeth Rivera, a retired lieutenant, were ready to take on the challenge.
Iliana says everything happened so fast.
"There was a point, I think almost 48 hours, I was awake. It is just pure adrenaline, you don't even feel it," she said
She says they did everything they could to prepare for the race, but nothing could get them ready for what they experienced. "After the first leg of the race, like when we went to sleep that night, we were just in bed and were like 'Oh, what did we just get ourselves into?'"
Iliana's mom is a super fan of the show and growing up, she would watch it with her. When her mom told her they should apply, Iliana was all in.
"She gave me this beautiful life of having the means to travel and do all these things I wanted to do and we just never got to do it together. So we were like this is it. We need to do this together."
She wasn't able to share much about where she went or the challenges, but we do know they started the race in Los Angeles under the Hollywood sign. Iliana says it got crazy before the race even began. "We're honestly just like the epitome of a hot mess. So I was like this would be fun, but also hilarious. And it was."
Now that Iliana and her mom are settled back home here in Tampa, she says she appreciates her mom more than ever and is more intentional about making time to spend with her. "She is my partner, like she is my ride or die. like you guys will see on the show, she has my back like no one else has my back forever, and it's been forever."
Watch the full exclusive interview on the free 10 Tampa Bay+ app, available on your favorite streaming service. Click here for more.