Revisiting Our Dream of Becoming Ironman World Champions One Year Later

It was barely a year ago that Kyle and I were preparing for the biggest race of our lives. It still feels pretty fresh, as the triathlon world swirls back around KONA for the 2019 World Ironman Championships. While it is still fresh in my mind, I want to reflect on it one more time.

For those that dream, perhaps this will speak to you. Or for those that are brothers, mothers, fathers, sisters and family you will likely understand, too. Kyle and I both wanted to be athletes growing up, but neither of us would ever be the first picked. We weren't bad, or less able. It was simply the way the selection process worked out. When I ultimately stumbled into endurance sports and eventually joined with Kyle to compete together, the dream of being an athlete came flooding back. Like when we were kids in our backyard making up rules to whatever games we were playing, the dream became very powerful and through refusing to give up that dream, it all led to KONA.

Each of you had a hand in the ultimate success of race week. Your support was felt over every mile and throughout our entire week in Hawaii. Kyle often talks of finally being recognized as an athlete, but he has made me an athlete, too. Kyle carried me down to Dig Me beach and through the challenging waves of the mighty Pacific. He powered me across the Queen K, up to Hawi and back faster than we had ever ridden before. Then he coached me through the hardest run we've ever endured; through some of our darkest miles together and out onto the other side. We ultimately experienced one of the grandest finish lines we've ever known to be crowned Ironman World Champion athletes.

To say it was a special moment would be a slight understatement. As we look to Championship week this year, we are reminded of the perfect words from our friend, Dale Robinson, "When you [are] in the world championship, we all in the world championship." Together We Wheel. Thank you all for "Walking With Kpeasey"

The journey will continue and with more than 600 finish lines crossed this year by the athletes of our foundation. We look forward to closing out the year with a bang. At the end of October, we will have 18 teams in Washington DC for the Marine Corps Marathon and then on November 10th we will celebrate our year with our annual bowling and awards event at Bowling with KPeasey. We hope to see you all there to celebrate like World Champions!

If You Think 2018 Was Incredible... Just Wait

Even though we are two weeks in, it is not too late to wish a Happy New Year to all of you. We enter the new year with one very difficult to answer question in mind. How do we possibly build upon 2018 and make 2019 even more unforgettable?

It would be so easy to look behind us in the rear view mirror and get stuck traveling down Memory Lane. It’s difficult not to get lost in the many highlights that made 2018 on for the ages. From Publix to Peachtree. From another successful Camp Wheel Away to an extremely successful bowling fundraiser. From The Marine Corps Marathon in our nation’s capitol to a very unforgettable journey down Alii Drive in Kona, 2018 will be a difficult one to top. All of these spectacular moments will help to drive us towards our next big goal of making 2019 the best year ever for the Kyle Pease Foundation.

I bet you are wondering how we could ever top the year that was. My answer is by bringing awareness and inclusion to all of our athletes and to allow them the best experience possible at every race they participate in. By creating opportunities outside of the race course and by bringing awareness to the passion in their lives. It’s our commitment to partner with other resources and to gain exposure in a positive light for the athletes of Kyle Pease Foundation.

2019 is going to be a year full of surprises. We are extremely excited to unveil new book scheduled for release in the spring. Pre-orders will begin in the coming weeks, but that’s all I'm going to share with you for now. We are looking forward to our first race of the year just over the horizon. Because as the weather gets warmer, KPF gets hotter.

If you have any questions, feel free to comment below and we will respond in our next blog. 

Until then,

Kyle!

A KPF Greeting from The Ironman World Championship in KONA

Day one in Kona was a special one for sure. There is an energy that they speak about on the island, and we felt it from the moment we arrived.

Brent went to the Kona Aquatic center for a short swim while I picked up a few supplies. We got to meet up with Betty early in the afternoon before driving the bike course. Betty has long been a friend to Kpeasey and was the first to push us towards Ironman. We are so excited to share the course with her!! 

After that, we spent some time previewing the bike course; looking at the winds, the hills and the BEAUTIFUL scenery! It will be a challenge, no doubt, but we will give the course everything we have come Saturday! 

We then had a sunset dinner with Betty, Ernie and Micki with a beautiful sunset as a special guest. It was like looking at a postcard. I am just so honored to be here and so excited at this unique opportunity for Brent and myself. 

We will try to write while we are here, but each day we have quite a bit planned. But an athlete at KPF said to us before we left:

“When you and Kyle go to the championship, we all go to the championship”
~Dale Robinson 

Our KPF family is extended all over this island and the energy we feel from them is felt all over Kona. We’d like to try and thank many this week. There are more than we can count with so many helping make this race a possibility. We will start with our KPF family. It started with our first athlete Jake and continued with each new athlete that joined our ranks. They all helped build this amazing community. They all will be in Kona with us this week. 

Thank you all for your trust, friendship and support. This week we all celebrate the accomplishment together. For Together WE Wheel!

Mahalo

Ready or Not (and we are ready)...Kona Here We Come!!

Training has been an absolutely grind.  But it has been one that I have enjoyed immensely. .  Making time for everything, training like I have never trained before to get myself mentally and physically prepared has truly been "fun." At one point over an eight day span, I spent more than 25 hours on my bike, including plenty of saddle time with Kyle.  I will miss this when it's gone, but am so grateful for the health and opportunity to do this.  Cannot wait to test our bodies and minds come October 13th!!Together WE Wheel!! And now here’s Kyle….

-Brent

Only in my wildest dreams, did I think I’d experience the sound of the words, Brent and Kyle Pease. You are going to Kona. Sometimes if you believe in something strong enough, wild dreams do come true. Those are the very words I heard this past June is Raleigh NC when the Ironman Foundation surprised us with an invitation to Kona Hawaii for the Ironman World Championships on October 13.

During the past two weeks, we have hit the ground running and we have not stopped . We have practiced hours on end and have trained on our new bike which is sleeker, faster and more aero dynamic than our older model. Curtis Henry of Canon Cyclery and our talented pal Dave have created this model to take on the wind and the elements of Kona.

You can never be too prepared for what Kona may throw our way. We need to be proactive and ready for anything. Kona will no doubt test our mental; and physical abilities and we will give the utmost respect to the course, but I can tell you right now that Brent and I will leave everything, every ounce of energy out on the course.

All the training and all the hard work is in the rear view mirror and we are ready try to give it our absolute best on race day. We will take all of our Kpeasey family with us. They will be at the forefront of our minds when the cannon goes off on race day. Our good friend Dale sent me a wonderful text that read, “when you in the world championship {sic} we all in the world championship.” When this started in 2011 we would not have imagined carrying the energy of so many athletes with us to the Big Island! Truly, together we wheel, in action.

I am excited. I am overwhelmed. I am grateful. I am humble, to be on the journey with my brother, with my family, and most importantly with you; our fans and followers. We will carry your spirit with us for every mile, every stroke, every step and wheel that we take. 

It will be hard, but life is hard. As the saying goes, When the going gets tough; the tough get going and we will carry that mindset when ever we have a moment of doubt.

Thank you to all of our sponsors, family, caregivers, fans and supporters and everyone else too many to name for their support, dedication and commitment to help us show that where there’s a wheel, there’s a way. 

-Kyle

Post Script:

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TOGETHER WE WHEEL!!

And Now a Few Words from the Executive Director

Checking in with less than thirty to go before the Ironman World Championships.  It has been a wild summer and we are enjoying as much of this grind as we can.  Not many times do you get to say you are preparing for a world championship race.

We just finished up our last long training weekend together logging more than 100 miles on the road between bike & run.  We will then participate in a transition walk through on Monday to make sure our team is all on the same page before we pack and ship our gear off to KONA.

The fundraising has been incredible and we cannot thank you all enough for stepping up to be a part of this journey with us.  With the race long since funded, we are aiming for the stars to create more opportunities for impact.  The fundraising will be used to purchase a new transport vehicle to assist athletes in getting to and from races, a new truck to accommodate our massive growth this year, two (2) job opportunities for disabled persons and to establish a van scholarship fund.

Triathlon and endurance sports were life changing for me.  It came to my life at a time when I was making adjustments to my life and trying to find more meaning in everything I did.  I had no idea that signing up for an Ironman would lead to so much and enrich my life immeasurably.  It has helped us to enrich the lives of so many beyond KONA and for many more miles to come.

We look forward to celebrating all fall with you as we complete prep for KONA, send 19 teams to Washington DC for the Marine Corps Marathon and of course our annual bowling event.

Together WE Wheel!

Brent