Stone Mountain Siblings Race Around Globe for $1 Million

Two Stone Mountain siblings make up one of the 11 teams competing in the new season of CBS' The Amazing Race, starting Sunday.

Justin Young, 31, a doctor, and his sister Jennifer Young, 26, a special education teacher, embark on an adventure of a lifetime -- not to mention a chance for the prize of $1 million awarded to the winner.

The global journey sets off from the foothills of Southern California where each team's problem-solving ability will be tested as they search for clues to their first destination, Taipei, Taiwan. On the first leg of the race, they will be sent to an eighth century Buddhist temple in Indonesia and ride elephants through rain forests in Thailand. And then comes the first ever Double Elimination.

While viewers watch the globetrotting contest, the brother-sister pair will be mum, committed not to reveal  the conclusion of the race, which was taped earlier this year. However, they were able to talk about what it was like to compete.

"I think you don't realize from watching it at home how exhausting it can be," Jennifer told Stone Mountain-Redan Patch. "It's tough but you smile through it. I was like, 'Wow, this is not what I thought it was going to be.' It's fun but, whoa, it is exhausting."

Justin was particularly impressed with the camera crews that followed them everywhere but are out of sight to the viewer. "Everybody involved with the show is really proud of the show," he said. "They really wanted to make sure that the spotlight was on all of us as teams and really making sure they captured every element of this beautiful experience.

Jennifer said the most memorable part of participating was "just growing and learning more about my brother. I think we both got the opportunity to learn more about each other during this race."

"When we walked into it, we knew that the experience was going to be the most valuable and incredible thing about it," Justin said. "So regardless of winning at the end or winning every single leg of the race, what we really focused on was knowing we can do it and knowing that we were going to work together, do our best, and soak in absolutely everything."

The siblings moved to Stone Mountain as children. Jennifer attended Shadow Rock Elementary School, and (class of 2002) before earning a degree at Georgia State. Justin went to Chapel Hill Middle School in Decatur and graduated in 1998 from Chamblee High School.

Asked about their favorite places, they both agreed on Sun in My Belly in Decatur for breakfast or brunch, as well as Flying Biscuit in Candler Park.

"I really just believe in the community," Jennifer said of Stone Mountain. "It's got a lot of history and it's changing and it has its ups and downs but it's such a beautiful place to live and there are beautiful things to do."

Also, she said, "there's something special about taking a five-mile walk around the largest piece of exposed granite in the world that makes you realize how lucky you are to be in that special place."

Justin doesn't walk around Stone Mountain; he runs. He circles the mountain several times a week in training for his next amazing race: the New York Marathon.