Michael and Kathy met a year and a half ago in Cancun, Mexico. They have kept in touch and maintained a long-distance dating relationship; however, they have never spent more than five days together at a time. Their primary motivation for going on the Race is to see how compatible they are as a couple.

What struck Kathy about Michael were the provocative questions he asked her on their last night in Cancun, when they spent 12 hours together talking and getting to know one another. This was enough to prove to Kathy that Michael is a genuine person worthy of maintaining a long-distance friendship.

Kathy and Michael are polar opposites. Kathy is more high-strung under pressure and Michael is very laid back. Michael describes himself as unconventional, amusing and dark, while Kathy describes herself as moody, caring and oversensitive. They both agree that their different personalities complement each other well.

Michael has done quite a bit of traveling throughout Mexico, England, France, Holland, Spain and Canada, while Kathy has been to Mexico, the Philippines and Canada. The most important item in his backpack is his CD player, because he feels that music will change any mood into a good one. Her most valuable item is her journal.

Michael resides in San Diego and lives with his cat, Tig. His birth date is May 30. Kathy lives in Birmingham, Michigan. Her birth date is December 4.