Inclusion and Smiles Shine at Publix Georgia Half Marathon

It was cold, like it was really cold. It was early, like 3:30 in the morning early. But just like any big race I was excited to be up at that hour and ready to battle whatever was ahead of me. I checked on Kyle, he was breathing heavily, deep in sleep. I almost didn't want to wake him as he was working his tail off just a few hours ago... but it was time for us to take on our biggest day yet for KPeasey. We were about to welcome 42 athletes and over 200 runners and volunteers to the Publix Georgia Half Marathon. THIS.WAS.BIG.

It took over an hour to pump up the chairs, we ran out of coffee and did we mention it was COLD?! But that didn't damper anyone's spirits. Everyone ran around in our bubble of organized chaos. Everyone was patient and everyone was ready to run. We are running to the line, no sprinting. We've taken a tad too long and it's time to go. We get there just in time for the national anthem, my favorite part. I hug Kyle, so proud, the horn blares and we are RUNNING! Together We Wheel!

Seriously they couldn't stop smiling and enjoying their day. So proud to see how far this has come, so thankful for those that have helped make this possible. A big thank you to The Atlanta Track Club for allowing us this opportunity. A giant thanks to Helen Gardner for her tireless efforts, David Gaynoe for inspiring donations with his generosity, Jim Blackburn for being up at 3 am (even before the rest of us), our board & families for allowing us to pursue this with passion. Too many to thank but we are here sharing this because of each of you and your kindness. Our hearts our full, our legs tired, and our minds eager for the next run. Until then, Where There is a Wheel, There's a Way!

Check out all the photos over on our Facebook page.

Ready, Set, Go as KPF Begins the 2017 Racing Season

There is nothing better to heal the soul after a disappointing Super Bowl outcome than to kick off the 2017 Kyle Pease Foundation racing season. 

Despite the fact that the calendar still reads winter, Brent and I laced them up along with three other KPF athletes at the 2017 Hearts and Soles 5K in Decatur, GA on the Saturday before Valentine's Day. 

 Curtis Ward, Naomi Hicks and Aidan Jackson represented KPF along with Brent and me. We had a great time with full hearts and smiles from ear to ear. It was great to be out there as I love the first race of every race season. Despite the fact that it should be old hat by now, I still find myself with nerves and goosebumps prior to the start of the first race. 

And not that it is always about finishing times and PR's but Brent and I achieved our personal record for a 5K breaking 20 minutes for the first ever. Better with age? Perhaps. 

Now we turn our attention to Publix where the Kyle Pease Foundation has a record number 40 athletes toeing the line for the GA Publix Half Marathon. Over three dozen KPF athletes and nearly 200 volunteers will make this a virtual KPF party through the streets of downtown Atlanta. A regular sea of blue leading out the marathoners at 6:50 AM.  What makes this race so exciting for me is the fact that it is in our backyard and we get a tour of our beautiful city. It gives me a new round of goose bumps to see how far we have come since the launch of the the Kyle Pease Foundation.  It's not too late to sign up to join the Atlanta Track Club and all our friends if you want to try and catch us...

If you can't join us as an athlete or a volunteer for this great race, you can still participate by going on FaceBook and liking us or by making a donation to the foundation or to any of the athletes who reach out to you asking for your support.  

Stay tuned for news  and for info on the race, as well as, other exciting news in the on deck circle.  As always, Together We Wheel! Kyle

Through the Eyes of KPF: Kyle Shares His Thoughts On The Falcons Super Bowl

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I have been consumed with Falcons Fever….Can't eat, can't sleep, can't wait until kickoff...Rise Up in Brotherhood. Throughout the Falcons season, the team's major theme has been brotherhood. The bond of togetherness, the feeling of comradery and the desire to be there for one another is what has the team poised to compete in Super Bowl LI. 

In a recent story in the AJC, tight end beast Levine Toilolo shared, “It kind of started our season off, not only us getting work done on the field, but also getting that camaraderie and that brotherhood that we’ve kind of built here.” 

This really resonates with me as it mirrors the beliefs of the Kyle Pease Foundation. We are always there for each other to assist with whatever that may come our way. We are always there with a helping hand to make sure everyone is comfy in their chair before a race just as the Falcons huddle up before a play to make sure all out there on the field are comfortable with the play they are about to run. Two different teams...two winning teams...both with the desire to support one another to experience the feelings that accompany crossing a finish line.

Even though we play  different sports, we are both driven and inspired by a family dynamic. There is no I in Team....

There is no doubt that we will have challenges to get through and hurdles to get over while The Falcons take on the powerful New England Patriots. An Ironman has its own unique obstacles. We are athletes, just like the Falcons, hope to continue to win our own brand of championships through the Kyle Pease Foundation. Inclusion is our Super Bowl every race we compete in.

So line up for your fellow brother and continue to watch as Atlanta's finest: The Falcons and The Kyle Pease Foundation break down barriers and Rise Up to victory.

The Kyle Pease Foundation: The Best is Yet to Come

Hello KPeasey Nation,

We all enjoy the start of a New Year and the turn of the calendar page because it symbolically allows us to leave the negative in the year behind us. We are able to start fresh, begin anew and wipe clean the slate of anything and everything we choose to forget. 

But what happens when 2016 was so incredible that we want it to continue? The ride has been so wonderful that we never want it to end? The strides we've made and the things we've accomplished are so huge that we want to go on and on and on? 

Well, fear not. As much as we enjoyed 2016, there is not a doubt that 2017 will exceed it in every way. The year 2016 was merely a building block in the incredible organization we continue to build. The year 2016 was a phenomenal year that included a total of 53 athletes participating for KPF with 31 of them being brand new to the foundation. We hope to exceed such growth in the year ahead and are confident that this will happen. 

We have a full docket of races in the year ahead beginning in on February 11 in Augusta with "Dr Seuss is on the Loose 5k" and continuing in  March with The Charles Harris, which was my very first race in 2011 and in some ways was the catalyst for what we have become today.

Charles Harris will be followed by Publix, which will be bigger and even better than in past years with more KPF runners and more volunteers. 

Be sure to look at our website for latest races and updates throughout the year. And start looking for our blog on the website as we begin to phase out this in 2017. You will find new and exciting blog topics related to the foundation, including several guest blogs through out the year. 

As always we are so grateful for our sponsors, our many volunteers and especially for our athletes and their families.

As we move forward we promise to never forget you 2016, but look forward to seeing what your younger brother has in store. 

Together We Wheel, Kyle

KPF On The Rise During Busy Fall

Hello Kpeasey friends...On behalf of Brent and me, we would like to wish you all a very happy holiday season. 

The Kyle Pease Foundation has had a tremendous year due to the efforts of all of our fans, donors, sponsors and supporters. 

This past fall has been one for the ages culminating with our 7th Annual Bowling with Kpeasey event. The fun-filled fundraiser was a rolling success with most of our athletes in attendance. The event included laughter in abundance as well as selling the Kpeasey swag, the launch of Justin Knight's new book, A Knight in Shining Armor, great food and some awesome raffles and give-aways. Overall the event was a rousing success. 

One of the highlights of the event included the announcement of The Jake Vinson Family Grant. This was a special one as we awarded two recipients of the grant. Sherry Adams and her family received a grant to help facilitate the construction of a  handicapped bathroom to allow Sherry to gain more independence. Noah and Naomi Williams also received a grant to put towards a new van to get Noah to all of his activities. There wasn't a dry eye in the place. We were thrilled to once again have The Vinson family in attendance to announce and congratulate the winners. The memory of Jake will always be a part of who we are and what we stand for. 

Thank you to all who came out to Stars and Strikes to participate and volunteer for the event. 

And now a few words from Brent: Bowling with KPeasey actually started in 2009 before The Kyle Pease Foundation was actually born.  Kyle, with the help of some of his friends and aides, set up a bowling event.  That first event benefited Reaching for the Stars, an organization supporting individuals with Cerebral Palsy.  Kyle ran and organized the event on his own and helped to raise a little more than $3000 dollars.  

When the foundation was formed in 2011 we elected to continue with an inclusive event, bowling, that was the original vision of our founder.  Today we raise nearly $25,000 annually at bowling, which allows us to support our local 5K/10K races for ALL our athletes!  The joy we gain from helping disabled individuals find joy in endurance sports is a true joy and we look forward to continuing to share our mission.  Thank you all for allowing us to serve and for helping us grow year in and year out!  Together We Wheel

We did do just a bit of racing this season including a visit to NY and the New York City Marathon. Brent and I, along with with Ricardo Aranda and Matt Sour visited the Big Apple and had a blast during our redemption tour. Ricardo soaked up every famous NYC landmark that the city had to offer including Times Square, and the world renowned Katz's Deli. It was great to see Ricardo so excited even before the race. His enthusiasm was contagious. 

The race was equally amazing. It was surreal as Brent pointed out the spot along the course where our wheel exploded last year. This year, no such mishap as we blazed through the streets of the city in record time. We also were able to talk about the organization during an interview with USA Today and on our local station 11 Alive Atlanta. See more images on our facebook photo album.

The week before we were in the Nation's capitol for the Marine Corps Marathon. It is incredible to roll through the streets of DC with all those historic monuments and landmarks as a back drop. The MCM had many of our teams participating at their highest level and it was a true honor to celebrate it with the Abilities Experience. Nine KPF teams participated and had an incredible experience. What I love most about the event is the fact that it brings all of us together as a KPF family. Laughing, competing and just hanging out creates an unforgettable experience. 

The foundation would not be possible without our athletes, sponsors, supporters, board members. Once again, we thank you for making 2016 one to remember and we look forward to what 2017 has in store. Stay tuned for updated race info coming up on our website very soon.

Until then....remember that Where There's a Wheel, There's a Way!