When "Amazing Race" viewers last caught up with dysfunctional duo Donnie and Alison, they were standing in last place in Uruguay.

Soured by several days of running around the world with his on-and-off girlfriend Alison (the runner-up on "Big Brother 4"), Donnie declared to the camera, "I hate her, I can't believe I'm here with her, I'd rather change partners than be with her, so... the race has really taught me to redefine my love for Alison."

Several months later, fans of mutual respect and pure romantic love may be pleased to know that Donnie has, indeed, redefined his love to Alison and they are no longer together. The former couple took the stage over the weekend at the Television Critics Association press tour and announced the dissolution of their partnership.

Although the actual breakup didn't occur until April, Donnie admits that he had an inkling that more than one journey was ending as he and Alison sprinted toward "Amazing Race" host Phil Keoghan at the end of the second episode.

"Probably from the moment we were running down the tree lane and we saw Phil standing there, that's when the first thought started going through my head," Donnie says now. "The little light bulb started to click."

Even the most patient of fans might wonder why that little light bulb wasn't going on earlier that day when Alison, entangled in a sea of dogs, was calling him a variety of not-so-loving names.

"It's been four years of getting along one day and fighting the next," Alison notes. "So we're used to that. ... I think we were both aware, but it took actually seeing it on TV for us to realize 'Oh, my God, we really treat each other like crap,' to break up the relationship.

Actually, anybody who watched Alison flirt and scam her way through a brilliantly played season of "Big Brother" was already baffled at Donnie's willingness to stick with her, but he admits that he's at fault as well.

"She's a very competitive person," Donnie states the obvious. "That's the same way I am. So she doesn't want to lose an argument any more than I do and we didn't want to lose the race any more than anyone else did."

As Neil Diamond might note, love on the rocks ain't no surprise for the second "Amazing Race" losers, but fortunately romance is back in the air for the show's first eliminated team of Erika and Dennis. The formerly engaged pair now say that they're "dating," which must mean that Dennis has forgiven Erika for that notorious naked skydiving incident and Erika has forgiven Dennis for giving away a cab and ultimately leading to their early departure from the CBS show.

"I think she wanted to strangle me," Dennis admits of the cab surrendering incident.

"I wouldn't say we're embarrassed," Erika says, still feeling the onus of being the first team out. "We also have had six months to get over it, so it's at the point now where we can laugh about it. Right afterwards? Not so much."

Along with the rejuvenated relationship, Erika also has a new strategy. When the producers are asked about the possibility of an "Amazing Race: All-Stars," Erika argues for an "Amazing Race: All-Losers."

If we ever do it again, we'll just be mean as hell," she laughs. "That's our plan."