Last year, CU Boulder senior Floyd Pierce, graduating with a double major in applied math and economics, raced around the world for $1 million as a contestant on The Amazing Race. CBS has aired seven episodes, and, so far, he's still in the game.
Pierce, originally from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, is one of 22 contestants on the reality show’s 29th season, which follows 11 teams of two as they decipher clues, complete physical challenges and navigate foreign cities—all while avoiding elimination at designated checkpoints.
"I’ve been waiting," said Pierce, 22, alluding to the show’s minimum age requirement of 21. "I thought this could be real . . . As long as I could express my real personality."
After meeting casting directors in Los Angeles last spring, Pierce was invited to compete.
Six weeks later, Pierce was off on his global adventure with a teammate he’d never met, a 17-pound backpack and an unknown destination. Pierce’s family are the only ones who know any details of his experience, which he calls "life-changing."
As he finishes his final semester at CU, his thrill from the experience will remain top of mind. "It’s incredibly hard to focus," he said. "I’ve started seeing myself in commercials. It’s like high-definition Floyd."
Floyd Pierce | Photo courtesy of Monty Brinton at CBS
