The Pease Brothers talk about preparing for the 2024 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Written By Kevin Enners
It’s about preparation -- forming good training habits, building miles, identifying strengths and weaknesses, fine-tuning nutrition needs, and building mental grit. Though they are a team, Brent and Kyle’s training is different – tailored to their own needs while complementing each other’s strengths. While important for all race events, the course at Kailua-Kona is one of the most challenging, requiring even more mental and physical tenacity from the brothers.
Brent and Kyle’s IRONMAN World Championship debut in 2018 was an amazing success. They completed the event in 14 hours 29 minutes and became the first push-assisted team of brothers, and second duo ever (behind Boston’s Dick and Rick Hoyt), to finish the event. In 2024, Brent and Kyle will return to Kona.
All competitors at the IRONMAN World Championship are required to meet cutoff times in each leg, regardless of classification. Especially concerned with the 112-mile bike course, adjustments to the Pease’s tandem bike have made it lighter and more comfortable.
“We are going to take two bikes with us in 2024 just so we have options and can decide based on the weather,” shared Kyle.
For Brent, training strategies have been modified to include more strength training and swimming, working towards a more efficient stroke.
“Even though the swim is the easiest part for me physically, I still need to focus on remaining calm in the kayak,” offered Kyle, “We practice with our crew dumping me in the kayak so that I can get myself above the water.” Hopefully, that won’t be a scenario these brothers encounter in the waters of Kailua Bay.
Nutrition, leading up to and during a long-distance event, cannot be ignored. If not planned well, long-distance athletes can experience burnout, commonly known as “bonking.” Bonking is when muscles run out of fuel, your body has been depleted of energy (glycogen), and you can’t keep going.
“It is critical for both Brent and I to stay ahead of our nutrition, and we learned this the hard way during our last IRONMAN. We did not take care of ourselves on the run, so this time we know we have got to stay on top of it and make sure that we are eating all the time,” shared Kyle.
KONA is as taxing mentally as it is physically. Acknowledging that anything can happen, from changing weather conditions to equipment breakdowns to other unforeseen circumstances, respect for the course and your teammate is paramount. As Kyle said, “I can't do this without Brent, and Brent can't do this without me.”
The mission of The Kyle Pease Foundation is to improve the lives of people with disabilities through sports. The vision is to create inclusion opportunities for every person with a disability. Returning to the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona will continue highlighting what is possible and help grow opportunities beyond the finish for the KPF community.
“I love my brother. I love what he has given to others.” Brent affirms, “To be able to share this with him one more time is exactly why we are going back – together, as brothers.”
