Off to the races with KPF

“A hero is simply someone who rises above his own human weaknesses, for an hour, a day, a year, to do something stirring.” - Betty Deramus 

 It's an honor to be a part of this effort and helping Kyle live out his dream of helping others with disabilities get off the sidelines. Kyle has been a huge inspiration in my life and is truly a hero to me and so many - I couldn't be more proud of him for starting this foundation and giving back to his community. The Kyle Pease Foundation is eager to hit the pavement at our second race with sponsored athletes, locals Jake and Marin, at the Summerfest 5k on June 2nd. Come out to support Jake and Marin, their families, and The Kyle Pease Foundation for a fun day!

~Amy G. Moore

Me and KPeasey doing what he LOVES...BRAVES Baseball

 

The race was just the icing on the cake for us. The real mission is coming up next week! On June 2nd we have local Jake Vinson coming back for his second race with mother Amy for the Summerfest 5k. In addition, Greg Smith will be pushing our youngest supporter, his daughter Marin for their first race together. One of the best emails I got was from Greg who after our Half Ironman said sign us up! We are ready! So great to see The Foundation starting to grow and seeing that the efforts we put in both on the and off the course, starting to make a difference! 

Love that SMILE!!

 Evan is coming back out to join us for this race too and we are excited to hit the road with him!! So again be sure to come out and celebrate with us, and who knows, maybe come out to a great festival afterwards for free music and good fun!!   For more information on the foundation and to contact us to help support, please visit our website at race.kylepease.org

Looking forward to running alongside this great family next week!

We all have a gift.  Please come out and help us share ours
-KPeasey

Having a good time

Since New Orleans, I have had some needed R&R.  Coming off NOLA it was nice to finally get a chance to relax.  Went out to see my favorite ball club...

GO BRAVES!!!

To a wedding in Charleston, SC with Brent and his lovely wife Erica S. Pease. 

No spandex in this photo :)

I am really looking forward to a summer of going to the pool and hanging out with friends.  So much to do in this city in the summer so a little action in HOT'lanta will do me good!!  Of course, I cannot wait back to the grind of racing.  We are going to start adding some more races now that NOLA has come and gone and I am sure it will be a great time with lots of smiles and hugs all around.  As always, thank you for the support.

KP

 

See ya next time!!

 

Brothers Across the Finish

I had been looking forward to the test of a Half-Ironman since we signed up for NOLA.  We went to registration only to find out the swim was canceled.  We decided not to let the news affect us and instead focused on what we could control and that was to have our day.  With some time to spare, we went out for a quick check of the equipment with our Dynamo teammates to shake everything out one last time.

Which way, Haley?

When we arrived at the race, we set up for our first run of the day.  With the announcement of the swim cancellation, they switched the race to a 2 mile run, 52 mile bike then another 13.1 mile run.  The goal was to finish the day that we started, but we both like to do well, so why not start strong?  With the Newton's laced tightly, we tore off quick to a screaming crowd of 1,200.  We finished the first two miles pretty quickly and got into transition to switch into the bike for the long road ahead.

Coming in from the first run.

We knew the bike was going to be tough even with our Freedom Concepts tandem cycle and the most recent round of improvements.  We tore off pretty quick but as soon as we hit the first flat it was wind in our face all the way. 

Tearing out of the gates for a long day ahead!

Around mile 25 Kyle's voice was getting weaker and he struggled to let me know what he needed.  We had eaten plenty of food and were going through water bottles like crazy.  But when we saw our dad, JD, Amy and the rest of our sherpa crew he let me know how badly his legs hurt.  We had forgotten one of his pads and it was wearing on him.  We stopped for some help and realized just how cold Kyle had gotten in the wind.  We wrapped his legs in shirts from the Boy Scout troop manning the aide station and gave him some extra jackets.  They were going to have to drag us off the course today.  As we neared the finish we both relaxed a little.

 I cannot begin to describe what a warrior Kyle was that day.  He fought harder than anyone on the course and was determined to finish under some tough conditions.  This was a team effort and it was showing as we both pushed each other onwards.

The run heated up just a tad.

As we went out on the run, things shifted for us.  We felt that with as many races that we had been in this spring we had it in us to bring it home.  The volunteers were just amazing that day.  They made sure to let us know as we hit each passing mile how close we were to the finish.  Kyle and I continued to push each other.  As we neared the finish, we let up just enough to enjoy what had been an amazing day.  Sharing the finish line with Kyle...as brothers...is what the day was all about.  We started this together and we finished the day together.  We both worked hard and earned our finisher medals as we crossed the line together.  I look forward to continuing our progress forward and cannot wait to see what the future will bring. 

Many thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping to make this all possible and getting us on the line well-equipped and prepared for all our challenges.  To my coach and teammates, thank you for believing in what we are doing and pushing us to greater heights.

To my wife, I thank you for being a constant supporter in everything I do and letting me chase my goals and dreams.

We are all brothers
-Brent


Driving into New Orleans, I realized what a big weekend this was and how important this accomplishment would be. The house atmosphere was fantastic and we all had a great time.

Michael Kidd and I discussing race strategy

Me and some of the Dynamo Crew

The day before the race with the swim in question we went out to test the equipment one last time.   What a fun chance it was to train with the Dynamo crew. We headed out to register and prepared a fun meal to wrap up the day.

We woke up at 4:45 AM to a house full of people and slipped on my new TYR carbon dynamo kit. I couldn't believe the swim was not going to happen and I was going to have to wait to use our new Advance Elements kayak. We cannot control the weather though and the show must go on.



The first run was awesome, starting right behind the professionals and even 81-year-old Sister Madonna Buder came by to wish me luck.

Off on run #1

 The transition to bike went smooth and we set off on my longest bike ride yet. The bike was long and grueling; the wind was sometimes gusting up to 30 mph and it felt like we were in quick sand. My body began to ache all over and shut down.

Just a long ride with Brent

Brent kept telling me to focus on small goals; just two miles at a time then the next goal. We were here to finish and I refused to accept defeat. We finally completed the bike and took our time prepping for the run. The run was a blur as we both fought hard to finish strong. Sometimes Brent would push me and other times I made sure he kept up the effort.

Staying hydrated was important as the temp went up

We saw our Sherpa crew all over. They were amazing. That's it, just amazing. Helping us and driving us to finish.

                              Crossing the finish line was the most amazing thing I felt in awhile. 

Crossing with Brent made it even more special and it embodied what this is all about. Together, as brothers, to help motivate others to join us. I think the announcer said it best when we crossed the line as he said, "brothers from Atlanta, and BROTHERS across the finish line"

We are all brothers and we cannot wait for the next adventure.

KPeasey

1000 and counting...

One of our friends at Freedom Concepts made this great motivational poster and it really does help illustrate just how hard we have to work to be successful.  Not just in racing, but in our foundation and in our every day lives.
Just recently we reached 1000 facebook fans which marks a big accomplishment in our reach with our racing movement as well as our new foundation.  When we started this journey I had no idea that it would grow this fast and it is a big credit to YOU the fans and supporters who have believed and given us the opportunity to succeed.
I cannot wait for this weekend to take on the New Orleans Half Ironman and to share that moment with my brother Brent.  This will be my first half ironman and I am looking forward to just having a great time with the day and the experience.
Many thanks to all of you for helping make this possible from our Sherpa crew of JD, Dad, Amy and Sam thank you for your time to help put this on.  We always talk about how it takes an army and you all are some of the best!
To our sponsors: Dynamo Multisport, Newton Running, All3 Sports, Freedom Concepts, TYR, Advanced Elements, Gu, & Albopads many thanks for all that you do to help keep us on the road, in the water and in the races.  This is something we hope to do for a long time and we are so fortunate to have such wonderful support in our corner!

Looking forward to a big weekend in the Big Easy!

KPeasey

Half Marathon

Being on the line for race day with my brother never gets old for me.  We talk a lot about how much this brings Kyle on the line as an athlete, like the rest of us but for me I get the same sensation.  This was our first race in our Eagle Racing chair so we were pretty excited.  Kyle and I got a 5 minute head start with the other wheel chair racers and we took off in the early morning darkness.

Off to the races!

Kyle and I like to set goals and today was no different.  We started with a goal of 1:42 but by the time we got to the start line we somehow thought 1:41 was the new number.  Through 9 miles we were looking good and both of us were focused and pushing each other towards the goal.



Look at Kyle's face.  Guy is focused!!

Kyle and I rocked some Gu Energy Gels and kept moving forward.  We had some great bike escorts for the day and they pointed out all those Atlanta potholes and helped keep us safe.  I didn't get to properly thank those guys but it was great to have them in tow.  As we neared Georgia Tech and some of the hardest parts of the course we really worked hard to stay on track.  I felt the mind fighting my body and remembered why we do this and tried to stay focused on our goal. As we neared the finish we saw we had it and even better we could make it at 1:40!! As we flew through the finish tunnel we got some great cheers and an even louder KPeasey yell as we crossed the line.  We hit the finish line at 1:40:35 good for a PR for Walking With KPeasey. 

Right across the line

I was spent but super excited at the day and even more excited to do it again.  I've told Kyle that I like to race but I enjoy it even more when we are on a team together.  The entire weekend was a great experience and what a way to cap it all off.

-Brent

I love to race, and when that National Anthem played I got goose bumps all over.  I was like a horse right before the Kentucky Derby ready to go off to the races.  We hope to sponsor many more athletes like Jake and Austin but today was my turn and I was pumped.  5 am wake up call came early but my dad (our Sherpa) had me going early and helped lace up my Newton Running Shoes.  When we got to the race site we got all situated and saw some of our Dynamo teammates who wished us well on today's race.  Brent and I talked a few more times about the goal of the day and then we both settled in to get focused on our task.  Crossing that line as quickly as possible was the goal.  We want to get faster not only for our own sense of personal accomplishment but to hopefully inspire others to join the movement and share in our journey.  We hit the ground hard and did one of those fast first miles.  The guys on our bike escort were super friendly and for a little while we kept up the conversation.  Once we were pounding through midtown though it was all business.

Hug those corners.  Love this new racer!

The miles kept ticking away and I kept urging Brent on.  We saw JD and our dad out on the road snapping photos and making sure we had what we needed.  It takes an army and we got some good ones in our corner.  As we hit the final miles we both pushed hard for the goal and when we crossed the line we had it.  1:40!! I let out a big yell as we came across the line and even managed a few smiles for the camera.

1st and 2nd place wheelchair and Former World Champion Zola Budd

Being out there and pushing my body to the limit is such a great thing and being an athlete and pushing the limits with everyone else is something I plan to do as often as possible.  Many thanks to all our amazing sponsors and a special thanks to all who ran and raised money for The Kyle Pease Foundation.  This was a special weekend and I am even more excited about my first Half Ironaman (next month) than before!

Congratulations to all who competed and thanks to all who continue to shower us with support.
We all have a gift and it's up to us to open it up and share it.

-KPeasey

Happy Hours ALL Around

So great to be with so many friends at our Happy Hour a few weeks ago.  We couldn't ask for a stronger community behind us as we head into our first race sponsoring special needs athletes.  It was very encouraging to see so many people raising their glass to Kyle's dream and where KPF is headed. 
-Ben Spears, Board Chair, Kyle Pease Foundation

The Family Dog who hosted the event!

Even better was to line up a few weeks later with Austin and Jake.  Austin, 15 from Atlanta lined up with KPF to run in his first 5k and was all smiles all the way.  Austin had never run that far before and spent weeks preparing for this occasion.  We were thrilled to share in Austin's joy and were glad to have him as one of our athlete's!

Austin as a CHAMPION!

Also alongside us were Jake and his mother Amy to get their first look at our new Jogger and give it a test run.  Jake did great and his mom didn't do so bad either.  Almost instantly the questions were about which race was next!  We are so lucky to have such wonderful families join us on this journey and are thrilled at how far we have come and how far we can go!

Brent Pease, Vice Chair, Kyle Pease Foundation

THE KPF TEAM POST RACE

The event at The Family Dog was very impressive and overall a phenomenal event.  Big thanks to The Family Dog for their willingness to provide a great atmosphere for family and friends.

Some of the youngest KPF Fans

Special thanks to Parker Smith and Michael Chesin for sharing some quality music and of course getting brother Evan on stage for some family fun!

New meaning to washboard abs!

The 5k was an even greater day for me and why I started The Kyle Pease Foundation.  I wanted to share my dream of becoming an athlete with as many other disabled persons as possible and seeing it come together Saturday was truly special.  Even with a 5 am wake up call it was thrilling to be having our first big day with our athletes and putting months of hard work and fundraising to work.  Seeing Austin and Jake cross the finish line was super inspiring to me and was exactly what I had envisioned for the foundation.  We are looking forward to many more events and plan to have some more athletes alongside us soon.  Congratulations to all and thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your love and support.

KPeasey, Founder and Executive Director, The Kyle Pease Foundation



Great new heights!

This past weekend I went with big brother Brent back to The Charles Harris 10k where it all first started for us a year ago.  I was pretty amped for this race for a lot of reasons.  For one there was a lot of downhills which meant we could really go FAST and another was all of my great Dynamo Teammates racing as well.


Love seeing Dynamo Teammates rocking the KPeasey Gear.  Check out friend Michael Kidd



As we lined up on the start line Brent and I inched our way to the front so we could have some clear road.  This was a race we had run before so I wasn't as nervous but I still wanted to do well and being around so many fast people made it exciting as always.  If I could do cool picture art like Haley Chura then I would point myself out but you will have to find me below.

Can you see me right up front with all those elite runners?

 Before the gun went off the photographer got a great shot of me and Brent rocking some All3sports gear and my brand new Newton Running Shoes



Need the warmth of spring to get here already...

 Then it was off to the races.  Brent and I tore out of the gates and flew past the first mile marker.  My face was getting a little cold but man were we moving.  This is why we train and race and race and train.  I told Brent I wanted to race every month this year, and to me that will only help better prepare me for a 70.3 mile day later this spring...as we came up through the finish area our newest sherpa (mom) was waiting and snapping photos for us.  Of course she told us we didn't look good for the pictures but I guess that's what happens when you go for new heights.



Right before the finish.  Great day and a tough day.

After the race was over it was time to get onto the real fun.  Our foundation was getting ready to sponsor our first two athletes.  Jake and Austin (plenty more on them to come) will be joining us at the Cutie's 5k in Centennial Olympic Park.  The dollars so many of you shared with us at our bowling event last fall will help purchase the equipment needed for these young athletes to compete with us and guess what? I think I might just do the 5k and 13.1 that weekend!!! 
We are hosting a happy hour at The Family Dog on March 2, 2012 from 6-9 pm, to recognize and promote our next event so please come out and join.  Even better the friendly folks at TFD are donating 10% of the drinks sales to our foundation!! So please come out and get your new KPeasey shirt for 2012, share a drink and hear all about our newest additions to the KPeasey team!!

Even more excited than before at what 2012 has to offer and cannot wait to get out and race again!

-KPeasey