Sunday, December 11, 2011

The gifts we share

It has been a whirlwind couple of weeks for all things KPeasey but even more so a great year. Since I last posted my brother has gotten married, we have launched our non profit foundation and competed in our first ultra distance run.


The launch of the Kyle Pease Foundation was especially important to me as I have always felt this movement should be about more than just me.  I want to share the gifts we all have and hope to race alongside some KPeasey recipients in our next races.  
At first I was nervous about the event but it was a huge success and far exceeded my expectations.  We raised over $8,000 and had a great time bowling with all our friends and supporters.  We plan to add races to our website soon but immediate plans call for me to compete in the Publix Half Marathon next March alongside a sponsored athlete.  We all truly do have a gift and I look forward to sharing so many of those.
KPF board members after a great night!



After the bowling excitement, it was time for one of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving.  Food, family, friends and of course the Pease family bonfire!!
Look at Brother Evan...the consumate conversationalist!

Thanksgiving is most important to me as it reminds me of how fortunate and blessed I am to be around so many loving friends and family.  Thank you to you all for making a difference.

Then of course came the final event of 2011.  It was just a blip on our calendar.  A chance to find out what a long effort was like and maybe how my body would hold up for those longer triathlons...

So off we went to Tallahassee, FL for the Tallahassee Ultra Distance Classic.  The race was a 50k or 31 miles and even though I was excited to race again I just wasn't sure what to expect.  When we arrived in the early hours of the morning it sure was cold!!

I think I might have been sleeping

As we set off I realized something.  These ultra runners sure are different.  They almost spoke a foreign language.  I asked Brent what the heck they were talking about and between his ramblings I realized he didn't really know either.  But we settled in and actually were doing quite well.
Coming in on the second lap!! (three more to go)
 I enjoyed talking to Brent about race schedules, longer runs and of course Ironman.  I'll be honest a long run hurts, it was tough being in that chair for so long but I really want to push that Ironman.  I want to see 140.6 one day but I have to learn the ways my body reacts and this 50k was a great first look.
By the 4th lap Brent and I were both pretty tired.  Our conversation had slowed and all I wanted was Tab...yes they serve TAB at ultra marathons.  The volunteers laughed as I guzzled it down but man was it sweet.
Then we hit lap 5 and I needed to get out of the chair!! Pheww it was a long day.  My hamstrings were screaming and my shoulders were on fire...but I wanted to finish the race.  I wanted to prove that limits would continue to be pushed.
Crossing the line in just over 5 1/2 hours!!
 We came across in just over 5.5 hours and man was it a good feeling.  We had a great sherpa crew along for the ride and the support was tremendous.  Amy Moore, Shannon Kivipelto and Carlton & Holly Kitchens were all there in support.  THANK YOU ALL!!

Big thanks to Newton Running for letting us test those new shoes out, ALL3Sports, Dynamo Multisport for the continued support and of course Albopads for keeping me comfortable in the racer.  Gu Energy was along for the ride and all the support is always much appreciated.  Thank you so much to all our sponsors and supporters for making a difference.
Looking back on these past few weeks and more importantly an entire year we are truly excited about what is to come!!

Best
KPeasey


Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Past Happenings...New Happenings...New Family

Hello Kpeasey nation,
    I do apologize for being away for a couple of weeks. I had some minor outpatient surgery to replace my Bachelofen pump and spent some time recovering. This is a standard procedure every five to seven years. In essence, the pump allows my muscles to relax and help to get me through the day a little bit easier.  Going under the knife is never easy and the words and thoughts are much appreciated. I am slowly healing and getting stronger every day. I cannot wait to get back and start racing again. In my down time, I have been enjoying the outdoors. It has been beautiful in the ATL. I've really been thinking about how lucky I am to be in such a great place in my life. 
View from my chair of Ansley Golf Course where my Brother and Erica will get married

 It was really cool watching KONA as well the other week.  Seeing those athletes reminds me again why I love to get out and race and I look forward to many more races to come! Congrats to all our friends who competed at KONA and we look forward to hearing more about it.

This past weekend I did a 5k with John David Johnson and his family.  It was nice to just be outside and enjoy this weather.  It was just a relaxing event though because this weekend it is my brother Brent's wedding where he will be tying the knot with the beautiful Erica Silverman. Can’t wait to celebrate and welcome a phenomenal lady into our family.  She promised me at least one dance….so I just hope she can keep up with me!
Me and the future sis with Brent
Please do be sure to congratulate them and until the next time we appreciate all of you for supporting all that we do!

Best
KPeasey

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Sherpa Diaries

Shur-pa; def: A member of a traditional people known for their skills in guiding and assisting mountain climbers achieve their goals...

It has evolved into duties as a Sherpa. We carry kayaks, bikes, and jogger/strollers to transition areas, we drive the vans and deliver the liquids. It is an honor & a privilege.

So I was called upon for two weekends in a row; first in VA Beach for the Team Hoyt 1/2 Marathon; and second in Gulf Shores, AL for an Olympic Triathlon. We missed one of the team mates, Evan, but to see Kyle & Brent compete will drive any Sherpa to work harder to make these races happen without a hitch. The Triathlon in Gulf Shores was particularly moving: at the start as Team Magic announced Kyle & Brent and 500+ racers cheered them on at the start; then to watch Brent tie off the Kayak to his waist as JD & I carried the new, Advanced two-seater Kayak thru the breaking waves of the Gulf to get Kyle into smoother waters with Brent. Then, we met them a mile down the beach at the finish to transfer to the Jogger for a tough push thru the sand and back to the transition area. Then another transfer to the Bike; and then chase car support duties to get extra fluids and some very professional photos by JD. We did stop for waffle house coffee, and another visit to Officer Sanders from Baldwin Co. AL who drove me back & forth to get Brent's BlueSeventy wet suit when he needed it at the start.

Officer Baldwin providing directions to Waffle House
Finally, another transfer to the Jogger for the 10K run, and then meet at the finish line for more photos, ice towels, a beer (or 2)w/BBQ lunch and awards. All very moving, and a privilege to be part of. I am motivated to do another Tri of my own, but more often to think of these moments every day and try harder to lead a good life and appreciate what we have.

“Dad”


Transfer to the jogger for the run. 



It’s funny how things happen.

Kyle and I were talking one night and he mentioned they might be doing a triathlon in Alabama. Being from Alabama my interest was peeked. After a little research I found out that it was in Gulf Shores Alabama. While not my stomping grounds I have been there few times. I had the idea that the family and I could take a mini-vacation and help “Walking With Kpeasey” at the same time. Cleared it with the wife and we were a go!

We all understand that a lot of work goes into to a race. The training, the training, the training. What about the equipment? How does it get there? Who gets it ready? Who cleans it up?

At this point Kyle has all of the equipment for the most part. A bike (Freedom Concepts), a jogger, and a borrowed Advanced Elements Kayak. You can’t really just through those items on top of the Kyle’s van. We had to track down a trailer. Once we tracked one down we had to coordinate a pick up of the trailer and then the bike. Not monumental tasks in and of themselves but nobody has the same schedule any more so it was harder than one might imagine. Once all gear that was going on the trailer was acquired came the packing. You cannot forget anything vital or a six hour drive might be for naught. So lists are developed and checked multiple times. There may be an unpacking or two just to make sure. Packed and ready the Sherpa teams hits the road.

As mentioned in a previous post I like my coffee and I like to get up early. 0430 came early but it was right on time. We got to the Hang Out and found a perfect area to park right next to the transition area, Sherpa’s like to be efficient. Once registration was complete and all necessary credentials obtained we unloaded the gear.

For most triathletes this would be shoes, bike, water, nutrition basically. For team “Walking With Kpeasey” it is bike, jogger, shoes, padding, boat, water nutrition, etc... I believe we still did it in one trip. One of the big differences for Kyle is the swim. He has a boat. I was concerned with having enough time to get to the swim start and have the boat ready for Kyle and Brent, the race organizers had to wait until the last possible moment to set up the swim due to the changing direction of the currents. Not that this could be controlled it caused us problems. OK not really but it made me uptight. After the decision on the swim start was finalized I walked the mile down the beach to set up the boat ahead of Kyle, Brent, and Sherpa Pease.

The water was kinda of rough and there was a good 4-5 foot drop from where Kyle was sitting in the boat and the water. Dick and I made the easy decision to get wet to ensure Kyle and Brent got off to good start. It was fun walking back down the beach watching the swim. The take out seemed to go pretty smooth and Brent and Kyle were off on the bike in no time. This is where the Sherpas got to play.

Our Friendly Orange Beach man in Blue. Officer Baldwin

After putting the boat away there was a discussion of breakfast, coffee, mimosas, or track down the boys on the bike portion of the race. We chose the latter. Besides some great opportunity for some photography and chit chat with the boys we also handed of some Gator aide to Brent and Kyle while they were on the ride. I think one of the most memorable moments for this Sherpa was getting caught leaving Waffle House with coffee. You had to be there!

"Sherpa Dick" in for a cup o Joe

After the final transition from bike to run we packed up the bike and realized that the Sherpas were hungry. Dick and I found the Krispy Kremes. Now it was hurry up and wait time. We found our way in behind the gates to greet Kyle and Brent as they crossed the finish line.

The Sherpa’s job is not over when the race is finished. There is gear to clean and equipment to be returned. Perseverance, courage, commitment, sacrifice, fun, giving are words that come to mind when I think of the things that mean something to me. “Walking With Kpeasey” is a lifestyle that embodies these words and to quote Sherpa Pease “It is an honor & a privilege” to serve.

-John David Johnson

"Sherpa Crew"

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

It's a good life!

It was Friday afternoon when we departed for Gulf Shores, Alabama.  It was our second trip in back to back weekends.  We didn't say much to each other, and my Dad was driving to give us a chance to rest.  As usual, I fell asleep, as is customary on every road trip that I go on!  I kept talking to a good buddy, John David Johnson, throughout the whole trip - who acted as one of our assistants for the weekend, along with my Dad. We stayed with John David's wife, two adorable kids, and his Mom, who made sure that we were well fed for the race.  We arrived about 9:30 Central time, and 30 minutes later I was in the bed.  We woke up the next morning at 4:30 am, threw on my All3 Sports gear and got straight in the car...but first John David had to make his coffee... typical!  We did our registration and got everything ready for the big event.  
 On the way to the race, I listened to one of my new favorite songs - "A Good Life" which really embodies how I feel about our incredible movement.  I think our friend Jill Poon described in a post how this song can sum up how we live each day.  We can make that choice on our own how we want to take on each day and this day was looking to be special...

All of a sudden we were off.  We did the swim, which had a lot of waves that made me a little scared at first, but I just kept telling myself "just get in it... just get in it!".  JD and my Dad got completely soaked, but we never looked back. 
Surf board might have worked on that wave...
 The swim was relatively low stress...for me at least!  Brent seemed to be cruising along in his Blue Seventy Helix and before I knew it we were coming into the beach for the swim finish.  Then it was off to the first transition which went smooth, with help from our great Sherpa crew! (more from the Sherpas at a later date)
The bike felt great in the beginning but by the end I was very tired, and my gluteus maximus (haha) started to hurt.  My first race on the bike seemed to be easier than today but we pushed through the small rolling hills and on towards the bike finish.
Overall though being back on our Freedom Concepts tandem bike was great and I can tell I am getting stronger in the saddle.  As we rolled into transition all the volunteers were waiting on us.  They had been something else on race day and we really owe it to Team Magic for putting on such a great race. As we loaded into our jogger and grabbed a little Gu Energy for the road it was time to push the effort.  We wanted to finish the race in a faster fashion than the last and it was going to have to happen on the run.  
Thanks Albopads! Those things make life great in the chair!
Before the race started we had talked with our coach Matthew Rose and the goal for the day was to manage it all for the run.  We pushed out of transition and I was talking to Brent letting him know how I felt.  We were taking on a lot of fluids and Gu to keep the effort up and as we passed some ice towels we covered my legs and head to cool me off.  IT WAS HOT!   As we crossed the finish line we realized that we had our best time ever (with a longer swim), and we and we even placed first in our division!!  
Finishing at "The Hangout"

Again a special thanks to Team Magic for an incredible race experience and to the awesome Sherpa Crew of John David Johnson and my Dad!  With the help of all our sponsors and countless others the race day experience is all the better.  This has been a fun journey and is only just beginning.  It's a good life!

Monday, September 5, 2011

We race and we grow

Hello Kpeasey blog nation, I hope everybody is doing well, and please excuse my absence from the blog.  We have been working on a lot of projects in anticipation of a big fall schedule.  Evan, Brent, and I competed in a 4 mile fun run two weeks ago. Lekotek was the sponsor of the event which is very near and dear to my heart because they help me with my handicap accessible technology.  It was a blast to be out with my brothers for the first time since the triathlon. We were laughing the whole time just the three of us and it was great to be out there together.  Even my dad joined in the fun as DJ of the event.  Great to see him spinning like his old Syracuse days!!


Look at him and Evan bring back the Jock Jams

Unfortunately, the New York Marathon, which we intended to race in November, had some rules that we could not get around and we have had to take that off of our schedule.  We greatly appreciate the opportunity, and we hope to race one day with them in the very near future.  Thank you to the New York Marathon people for helping us try to get it worked out.  This past weekend, we had a race with Team Hoyt VB in the Virginia Beach Rock 'n Roll half marathon.  
That's me in yellow with the rest of Team Hoyt VB
 
What an incredible group of people both runners and volunteers.  The Virginia Beach chapter of Team Hoyt aides the physically challenged in running events in the area, and we were very honored to be their guest this past weekend.  They take great pride in what they are doing and we couldn't have been happier to join them.  Even more exciting our cousin and friend Paul McNulty (read his guest blog here too) joined us as well who had his personal best of 1:51. 
Here is the McNulty Family with Son Kyle, my brother Brent, his fiance Erica and my father (our sherpa!)
 
 
On top of all of that we improved from our last Half Marathon effort by over 22 minutes and came in at 1:44!! It was incredible, and it just felt good to be out there.  The weather was great.  Nice, cool and crisp!  It allowed us to get into a groove and go for it.  
We ran alongside some very fast runners.  What a great experience!
 
One of the best parts of the weekend came off the course when I got to meet baby Kyle.  There are a handful of young kids in my life that I absolutely adore, and this one is one of them.  One of the sweetest, happiest babies that I have ever met, and he had a t-shirt that says K-Peasey is my hero.  Having Paul his wife Abbey there in support was tremendous and always wonderful to be with family.  Even more exciting was the chance to meet baby Kyle.  Paul and Abbey have named their son for me and I was honored to be able to race in front of him for the first time with his father.
Meeting Elivs was cool too...


 
Thanks to my good buddy, John David Johnson and his son, my boy, Logan for taking us out for a practice swim for our upcoming triathlon, the Alabama Coastal Tri, September 10th in Gulf Shores, Alabama.  I am extremely pumped for my next Tri and look forward to racing again next weekend!  I have not had as much time on the bike since our last race, so it will be fun but something I have to get used to again.  The jogger felt good in Virginia Beach and even with a little soreness I think we are ready for the run portion.  The fatigue is something I look forward to as it means that I am working hard in those races and that is important as we continue to do more of this. 

The Kyle Pease Foundation is continuing to move in the right direction and we are planning more to help grow the cause and will continue to update the website with information.  We are continuing to work on many events for the fall, including a bowl-a-thon, and will be looking for ways to get others involved too.  As always, thank you for your continued support and we can't wait to race. 

-Kyle
"KPeasey"

Thursday, September 1, 2011

What does KPeasey Mean to You

Hey folks!

As we prepare for our half marathon this weekend we reached out to good friend Chris Jones to ask what his KPeasey band means to him.
Be sure to follow our race this weekend and remember KPeasey as you go through each of your days.

-KP

What Does KPeasey Band Mean To You?
The KPeasey bracelet is a great symbol of what Kyle embodies as a person. When you wear the bracelet you have no choice but to uphold these traits that Kyle expects of himself. Setting your mind to do something and completing that action is KPeasey. The bracelets are also a constant reminder that things can always be put into perspective. People are drawn to Kyle because of his attitude. Wear the bracelet to a Braves game, on Marta, around Atlanta, chances are pretty good you’ll run into somebody else who knows what KPeasey is about. The brand that is “KPeasey” is recognized everywhere, and people are proud to represent it, I know I am. Not everything in life is meant to be easy, but without a challenge not everything is rewarding.  


Kyle with Chris and Wife Colleen






Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Foundations, Marathons and more to follow!

Hello friends

Its an exciting time of year for Team KPeasey. We are gearing up for our fall races, getting organized as a group and even adding some new races.
First and most importantly the newly formed Kyle Pease Foundation has now been created.  We are a 501c3 not for profit foundation with the goal of improving the lives of physically challenged persons.  We want everyone to be able to live life to their fullest and to share their gift with the world!!

Check me out signing the IRS paperwork!

We will be updating our website with more information but if you would like to make a tax deductible donation email us at walkingwithkpeasey@gmail.com. As we get our foundation going we will continue to get out there and race to help grow awareness to our cause and to help raise more money towards the greater goal of KPeasey.  It is certainly very important to me that I am able to help others in the way that so many others have helped me and could not be more excited about the Kyle Pease Foundation.  We will keep everyone updated on fund raising, and events.  Where there is a wheel there is a way!!


Sign here right?
But that's not it folks...there is even more exciting news to come.  Throughout the year Brent, Evan and I have been working hard to get into the NYC Marathon.  Yep the New York Marathon that had over 45,000 people cross the finish line last year.  That same one!! Well thanks to our new friends at Asics we will now be participating on November 6, 2011 in the Big Apple for our first Marathon!!  So game face is now on...
Foundations, Marathons and racing...its what we do.  Thanks as always to everyone for the continued support.

Look forward to updating everyone soon with updates on our foundation.


Best
Kyle

Walking With KPeasey

Monday, July 25, 2011

Friends of KPeasey

Hello KPeasey Blog Nation. My name is Paul McNulty and my wife Abbey is a cousin of the Pease's. We live in Delaware and don't get to see Kyle and the rest of the family as much as we would like to, but we are in contact almost daily. Kyle asked if I would mind writing a Blog entry for him and I let him know I would be honored to do it. Kyle wanted me to write about our newborn son and my training for the 1/2 marathon I will be doing with Kyle and Brent in VA Beach, Labor Day Weekend. I told him I would write about that but I also felt compelled to write a few words about Kyle Pease. Kyle never ceases to amaze me with his ambition and drive. Kyle is the main reason I have been training extra hard for our 1/2 marathon together in September.


Check me out training in the KPeasey shirt!

When there are days I don't have the motivation to put in the extra mile or two or the extra set in the gym, I look at that Blue Bracelet on my wrist and use Kyle for inspiration to keep on going. Kyle has made such an impact in our life that my wife Abbey and I named our son after him.

My son Kyle, and yes he rocks his KPeasey blue too!!

Kyle McNulty will meet Kyle Pease for the first time in VA Beach and that is going to be a great day. It is truly special when one person can much such a positive impact on the lives of numerous people - including strangers. Each and everyone of us should use Kyle's (along with his entire family and support staff) amazing accomplishments as motivation for ourselves when we think we cannot do something or think we should not put the full effort in. Let's go VA Beach!! Until then, Keep on Keeping on!!



-Paul McNulty

The McNulty Family with son Kyle and our KPeasey Bracelets!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Exciting things to Come!

Hey KPeasey Fans!


Been a while since I checked in and as we continue on with our fun filled journey I wanted to update everyone on some exciting things to come.  Over the past couple months it has been a whirlwind experience full of good times and great learning experiences. I have been quite busy with work and at my other job at Publix. I continue to look for new races that I can do with my brothers and supporters, and hope to have at least three more on the books before the month is over.
I have also established the Kyle Pease Foundation whose mission statement is to enhance the lives of disabled young adults to help them pursue their greatest passion in life. It is still in the very beginning stages and more information will be released soon on events, foundation racing and fund raising.  With any new start up, you are going to have your ups and your downs, but I have a great team, and a great board behind me to help me with this great adventure. I can't wait to get back out and race and start gearing up and training for the next one!

I have had plenty opportunity for some fun this summer and have been to plenty of Braves games.  Be sure to say hello if you see me and Diane cheering on the Bravos!!


Me my pal Michael and of course Diane!
 More recently however, we drove up to Chattanooga to watch my Dad, Richard Pease compete in his first Triathlon ever.  At 56 years young Dad crossed the finish line with a huge smile and of course his KPeasey band raised high!

Dad crossing the finish line!

It was amazing to watch my Dad cross that line and just as fun to have our good friend Michael Kidd there to enjoy the day!

Me and Michael Kidd cheering my dad on! Check out his KPeasey Band!
 Again, thank you for all the support you have shown to Walking with KPeasey and we just can't wait to get out there and race again! You know! Just saying!

Hugs and hand pounds!

Kyle

Monday, July 11, 2011

Training for something

Since our last post we have been looking at different races we can get into as a group.  In doing so we realized that it may be even more important to be more prepared for those races. 
As such, the scene was set for a training weekend up North in the Georgia mountains.  Our friend Haley Chura may best sum up the gaps with her post from back in April.  This is not the first time we have been up to the gaps, and you may recall leading up to our first tri together, another big training weekend up in the mountains.


Yeah we climbed some of that
 The gaps is going to continue to help build the strength needed to do the bigger and badder races and maybe even set the stage for an Ironman for the bozos!  Either way you can always count on the gaps for some good old fashioned American fun!

Rocking Lady Liberty for a climb to the summit!
Something about climbing up and down those hills keeps me motivated to keep going.  Something about wanting to get better not only for myself but for Kyle pushes me towards those summits.  I am sure I could do other things with my time but why not just climb a higher mountain?

Of course it always helps to have some help along the way and as you can see we had a host of friends to climb those mountains.  As Kyle likes to say "where there is a wheel there's a way" and so as a group we worked up and down those mountain gaps.



Coming down the mountain

 It's the continuation of a journey but one with a picture that becomes more clear with each passing day.  We look forward to the continued training as one as well as together, and even more excited to get back out for some races in the future.

Thanks as always for the continued support!

-Brent

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Pushing Forward

This past weekend we got back on it with my big bro Brent. During the week of preparation, Brent and I talked about what our goal was for the race, and we both agreed that our goal was under 25 minutes. Guess what?! Team KPeasey not only got our goal, but we beat it with a whopping 24:14...our best time yet in our young career! We were even top 20 in our age group and 109th overall. 

Again, it was awesome to be out there surrounded by some of our closest friends and family. We even got my soon to be sister-in-law, Erica Silverman, out there to join us. Congratulations on your new career best!! She beat her time by two minutes and even has the scars to prove it :)


So you may be asking... what's next?! Well, our next scheduled race is not until Labor Day, where we travel to Virginia Beach for the Rock n Roll Half Marathon. We are currently working on other races before then though, and we will keep you posted. So if you have a race in your area and you want to join us please let us know so we can hit the road with you!!  Please stay tuned to race.kylepease.org for the latest news and notes. We are on the move, and we can't wait for the next race!


Remember these two quotes -

"We all have a gift, and it's up to us to open that gift up and share it."

" Where there's a will there's a way!"

Hugs and Hand pounds!
-Kyle

Thursday, June 2, 2011

I love to Race!

Our first race since the Triathlon! A local race for a great cause at the Peachtree City All American 5k. It was great to be back out on the course for such a great cause. The course ran very fast and we completed it in 27:37, which is awesome. Besides a few bumps on the trail, everything was cooler than the other side of the pillow.  It reminded me of a picture I got from our good friend Will Pollard rocking his KPeasey band at 30,000 feet!
Look at our Friend Will at 30,000 feet!

Something about being out there with Evan and feeling the wind hit my face as we hammered through the turns reminded me that no matter where we go we want to keep racing!  I love to race and get that rush every time we hit the road.

Check out me and Evan!
Can't wait for the next one!!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Moving Forward

It has been quite a few weeks of reflection of the amazing accomplishment of our first Tri. I have said this many times and I would just like to say again...Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! to everyone that made this possible. It is now time to get back to business as we have tentatively set our summer and fall schedule. Please check out race.kylepease.org for more information on events.
The past couple weeks have been amazing with people recognizing me, people coming up to me and asking me to sign autographs and even to take pictures with them. Sure does make me proud to realize what we accomplished together and makes me hungry for more to come!
Racing is what we will do on the weekends but this is just the springboard to so much more. Stay tuned, be sure to follow and most importantly keep the support coming for all the bozos!

-Kyle
Walking With KPeasey

Sunday, May 15, 2011

checking in

Hey guys! Just wanted to check in with ya'll to give you a quick little update on some things. We are currently in the process of working on updating our website as we have some exciting news to come up in the next couple weeks. Again we would like to thank our sponsors, especially tri-kids for going above and beyond for making sure that we were always well prepared. And all the other sponsors - Thank you! For all the supporters that have stopped me, I appreciated it, and thanks for all your kind words. Again, please check back this week with the blog as we are having some news to come out. Thanks again!
-Walking with KPeasey

Monday, May 9, 2011

Where do we go from here?

To answer that question we must first understand where we came from. Back in December I got a call from our good friend David Dashiell and he was curious if Kyle might want to try a triathlon. I instantly told him about a conversation after my race in August, but had not gotten very far with the idea. David, who is the founder of Tri-Kids, Inc in Atlanta, told us that he would like to get Tri-Kids to help Kyle get to the starting line of his first triathlon.

TRI-KIDS, INC. is a non-profit organization providing training, equipment and financial support to kids interested in competing in triathlons. The kids are selected from inner-city neighborhoods and typically do not have these resources available otherwise. The program was developed to expose kids to a sport that requires commitment, dedication and discipline while stressing the importance of training as a team and yet competing as an individual and how to apply that concept in their daily lives.

Kyle and I were first introduced to Tri-Kids in 2009 when, as a volunteer swim coach, I suggested that Kyle give the kids a motivational speech. Kyle was just getting started as a motivational speaker at the time and we thought it would be a great opportunity for Kyle as well as for the kids. The group was so moved by Kyle that they all had his initials on their arms as they competed in a triathlon that summer. After the race Kyle remained in contact with the group and continued to speak to them about racing, teamwork and a can do attitude!

Towards the end of 2010, David Dashiell and Tri-Kids realized they could give back to Kyle what he had given to so many of them with his time and effort. A chance to compete in a triathlon of his own! David remembered how Kyle told the kids, "I know you might be afraid of the ocean and I wish I could. I wish I could swim, bike and run for you out there!" From there David helped set the wheels in motion for Kyle and after a late December conversation at a Starbuck's it was settled that Kyle was going to compete at St. Anthony's in May.

As the plan came together time and time again we needed help and every time Tri-Kids and David Dashiell stepped up to the plate. When we needed a boat, David was there. When we needed a bike, David helped bring on another sponsor in Freedom Concepts to help get us our bike. From there it got easier for the Team and we found several more sponsors to help make this dream a reality. Dynamo Multisport, All3Sports, BlueSeventy, Gu, Witzlib Fitness Studio, & AlboPads all were eager to join and follow the example of David and Tri-Kids to help get us across that finish line.

As race day neared the coordination was out of control. How do we get a 50 lb bike to Florida? How do we get the boat and jogger down with just the family van? Didn't matter...Tri-Kids donated their trailer complete with all the sponsor logos for the 7.5 hr trek to FL. Where would we be without all the wonderful support on our journey???

Now as we all sit and enjoy the accomplishment we begin to think of what we can do next? Where do we go from here? What we do know as we look forward to the next adventure, is that without the help of some wonderful friends and sponsors we may still just be talking about races and not doing them. So from Walking With KPeasey thank you to Tri-Kids and all the amazing sponsors who have dedicated time, effort, equipment and their own money to help make this all possible!!!

-Brent, Evan & Kyle
"Walking With KPeasey"

Friday, May 6, 2011

We Are All Brothers Part III

"We all have a gift...we just need to open it up and share it."
-Kyle Pease

Part III

Headed down to the race was a great experience for me. I talked through our nutrition plan from coach Matthew Rose with Brent and relaxed with my pal Sam, while taking our time getting to town. As we went through our walk through on Saturday, I could tell the extra strength training Brent had completed with Witzlib was paying off for him. They looked and felt ready for Sunday and helped put my mind at ease. After dinner with our friends from Tri-Kids, and a few laughs amongst friends I was off to bed to get ready for Sunday.

Race Day:


My day started at 4:40 on Sunday morning when Sam started getting me dressed for the big day. I remember telling Sam, Amy, and Kelsey that morning that I was not ready and I did not want to do it. They kept pushing me and telling me it was time to go, I have to do it. From there, we grabbed a quick breakfast and I spent some alone time with my iPod, listening to one of my favorite Widespread Panic songs, "walkin" as it reminds me of our theme "Walking with KPeasey. The wind that morning was intense! I was a little nervous at that point and it didn't help when the swim portion of the race was moved to a different location at the last minute. My brothers helped calm me down and we headed to the start. Funny story - as we were getting situated with the boat, a bird pooped on me and splattered everywhere! Anyways, so we got loaded in the boat... the waves started making me nervous again but I was out of time and the race was starting with or without me...

I liked it better with me and we waited for the horn to sound. My friends and family were there to keep me company while we waited to start, keeping me laughing and relaxed. Then we were off! It felt like I was sitting 5 feet above the water and at times, as I watched Brent push through the swim. We turned the corner quickly to head back in and heard the crowd as we pulled onto the beach. Brent did an amazing job on the swim and kept the energy going. Evan was the first thing we saw though and as brothers we began the next portion together.

Evan and Brent transferred me from the boat to the jogger and we made our way to the bike transition. The crowd was going crazy and it really gave me a lot of energy. We transitioned to the bike as quickly as possible and Brent and I headed out for a long 24.2 mile ride. My position on the bike was amazing, along with my new gear from All3Sports, it definitely was the most comfortable part of the day. There were so many other riders out there telling us "great job" and saying hello along the way. I stayed extremely hydrated on the bike to make sure I was prepared for the rest of my day. As we began our final mile of the bike, Brent reminded me to stay calm and wait to release all of my adrenaline on the run portion. He was such a strength out on the bike.

Evan met us for the last transition back into the jogger for the last piece of our puzzle.

The jogger was pretty comfy too thanks to the pads we installed from albopads. We had great support from the Dynamo crew during the run as they followed us like a couple of wild cards all over that course. We all ate a ton of ice and shared many laughs, keeping loose on the run. Towards the end I could taste it! I was so excited! I arched my bike and screamed from excitement! I cannot put it into words to cross the finish line and call myself a triathlete alongside my two amazing brothers.


I would especially like to thank my brothers for this amazing journey. From all the well-wishers and our family/friends and all of our sponsors, thank you for helping me achieve my goal of becoming a true athlete. WE ARE ALL BROTHERS!!!

All my love,
Kyle
& Team KPeasey

Thursday, May 5, 2011

We are All Brothers Part II

The time leading up to the race was filled with anxiety and excitement as we readied ourselves for this journey together. Kyle and I rode down together in the van along with Kyle's friend Sam. Once we arrived we immediately began preparations for the race. On Friday we went down to register for the race and people kept asking Kyle if he was part of the Pease family. It was pretty exciting that people were expecting us and the folks from St. Anthony's Triathlon were incredibly accommodating and helpful. We had to register Kyle for a day pass to the USAT (governing body for Triathlons), but something tells me we won't be needing day passes anymore but rather the annual pass! After we registered we waited for the rest of the family to show up and prepare for our race.

On Saturday morning we prepared the bike and jogger for our race
I was glad we did the equipment check though as it gave us all a level of comfort for Sunday's race. As we readied ourselves for bed I was reminded what one of our friends told us, "that no matter how much you plan the race, it goes down the way it is supposed to go down" That thought could never be more true...

Race Day:
As we awoke at 4 15 for race day, Evan and I prepared all our nutrition and fluids and headed towards transition. As soon as we got there though we were informed the swim start had been moved due to the high winds. Additionally, I had to leave my new Blue Seventy wetsuit at the hotel as the water temps had risen over night. I got a nervous energy almost instantly and made some quick calls to alert Kyle and the rest of our family to bring Kyle all the way to transition for a revised swim start. Once Kyle arrived he looked a little nervous and all I kept thinking was that we had to remain calm and let the day play out the way it was supposed to play out. As we readied the boat a nice calm started to set in. I knew in only an instant it would just be me and brothers on the road together and that was it. As the horn sounded, I took off on the swim and settled in for the day.
Being out there with Kyle was amazing, I couldn't believe how light the boat felt. I got excited took a few glances back at Kyle and before I knew it the swim was over. As soon as I got out of the water Evan was with us helping get Kyle squared away for the long jog back to transition.
As we headed out for the bike the crowds were amazing, not only our friends and family but also all the other spectators. They all rooted us on and their energy was something else. As Kyle and I headed out on the bike I warned him to just relax and save it for the final stretch of the run. It was going to be a long day and we were just getting going.


The bike was amazing, Freedom Concepts had Kyle comfortable and had us on a bike that was ready for a race. What might have been the best part of the bike, was being able to enjoy a bike ride with Kyle. We had never done anything like that before together for a ride like this...
When we were kids we used to have to put Kyle inside a buggy behind the bike and never got to enjoy the rides with him. Today was different though as we flew across the road and before we knew it Evan was grabbing the bike from us and helping push us back to the run.

The run was hot but our family was all over the road and thanks to some last minute help from AlboPads Kyle was pretty settled in for a race to the finish! Evan and I kept talking with Kyle to make sure he had enough Gu to fuel the run as well as talking to each other to stay on pace together. As the miles started ticking away we got closer to our goal as brothers!


Not sure how to describe the finish line but it was unlike any other. Our feet seemed to get lighter, and we found that extra kick to blaze across the line!!
I wouldn't have asked for it any other way that day, but to cross the line with both of my brothers. Everyone had worked so hard to get to the start line and from that moment to the very end we were working together. As we all lay exhausted near the finish and before the dust had even settled Kyle was asking "what's next..."


-Brent