Amazing Race’s Rod and Leticia Share Relationship Wisdom: Marriage Isn’t Always a ‘Happy Situation’
The Amazing Race season 36 contestants and married couple Rod and Leticia Gardner shared their relationship wisdom after placing third on the CBS reality competition series.
“It’s not always gonna be a happy situation. … You have to put the work in,” Rod, 46, exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, May 21. “We all have to be accountable for our actions, our contribution to the relationship. And I think a lot of people find [themselves] always ready to point the finger, but it's like, you’re in this too.”
The former NFL player noted that when both partners work on being “healthy” individuals, they can be “healthy together” as well.
“We’ve done a lot of work in the years of being together,” Leticia, 38, added.
‘The Amazing Race’ Winners: Where Are They Now?
During an April episode of The Amazing Race, Leticia joked about her husband previously dating women who were just happy to be with a professional athlete, whereas she always speaks her mind even if it means disagreeing with Rod.
“I needed somebody to kind of keep me in line,” Rod told Us of ending up with Leticia. “I was always afraid of the sassy one who [had] a lot to say, but I ended up gravitating toward my wife. She was the sweetest thing cause she’s got a great heart, but she’s definitely gonna speak her mind. That’s something I had to learn to work on, to deal with, but I think throughout our marriage, our different dynamics taught us the necessary tools to be able to make this work.”
“I don’t think strong men marry weak women,” Leticia added. “I think it is important to use your voice because there's power in you and there's strengths in you that he doesn't have. And when you learn to focus on each other's strength, you build a better relationship. … When you're married, it's not one person, it's both of you. Operating in your strengths and giving each other the freedom to do so is extremely important.”
The couple’s strong bond served them well on the show. They placed first during three legs and made it to the finale before ultimately losing to runners-up Juan Jose Villa Naranjo and Shane Bilek and champions Ricky Rotandi and Cesar Aldrete during the Wednesday, May 15, season finale.
“We’ve been together for a long time, so I think we’ve already worked out the kinks of what it looks like to handle things under pressure,” Leticia said of her and Rod’s Amazing Race success. “Communication and just focusing on the task at hand, it’s easy for us because we’ve been doing life together for a long time.”
Rod added that he and Leticia “know how to motivate each other” and also how to get under each other’s skin.
“I know what buttons not to push, and she knows the same,” he said. “As long as I just kept her encouraged and kept a positive attitude the whole time, she was gonna be OK.”
Despite knowing each other like the backs of their hands, Leticia saw a new side to her husband during the race.
“I’ve always known him to be so determined, so ambitious, so competitive. But to see him do that inside of a team — because he's played [professional football] and you can watch him on TV — but for me to be on that team … it made me just respect him on a whole other level,” she gushed. “He is the stronger one out of us two and [he was] still so patient and supportive with me. That just softened my heart towards him a lot.”
All seasons of The Amazing Race are available to stream on Paramount+.
