Pease Brothers' New Book Takes Readers Beyond the Finish

As Brent and I ascended up the racing ladder over the past several years, countless people have asked when we plan to document our story in the form of a book. I even asked myself the same question for some time knowing that what we have been able to do together is a story that many are interested in hearing. With a lot of hard work over the two year process, we are happy to announce that Beyond the Finish is a reality. Over 200 pages sandwiched between a bright, beautiful front and back cover, we share our story of life, love and determination through the years which culminated in success at the Ironman World Championship in Kona last October.

I can’t tell you how proud I am of this book. Beyond the Finish takes you behind the scenes like never before, through the eyes of every Pease family member who has helped us get to this point. I know the story pretty well having lived it and even I was on the edge of my seat, waiting to find out how our story ended.

What I hope people take away from the book is that you don’t let anything stop you and don't let anything define you. It’s more than just a book about two guys racing together but more so a book about love, friendship, outshining your goals and not allowing a few unfortunate circumstances prevent you from shining on your own biggest stage. I want to say thank you to our great buddy, Todd Civin, our co-author. Todd has been with us since day one and without his guidance and knowledge in how to put the story together this would not have been possible.

You can preorder your book today on Amazon.

We also teaming up with the Atlanta Braves on May 14th at SunTrust Park as part of our book celebration and rumor has it we may be toeing the starting line against Freeze.

We will be having our launch party on May 15th at Big Sky Buckhead and invite everyone to attend. Please consider inviting friends and sharing the flyer below on Facebook and Instagram.

Words from Kyle and Brent: Straight from the Mouths of the Ironman

Brent: Being only walking distance to the start and having so much help with us on the big island, it was a pretty "relaxing" race morning.  I was quite nervous so it was nice to not have any "added stress" on race morning.  I ate as best I could, tried to go to the bathroom and then readied myself for a nice walk to the swim start.

 Kyle: On October 13th, my day started at 3:45 AM Hawaii time, which is 9:45 Atlanta time. I quickly put sunscreen on and Vaseline to protect from the sun and from chafing. Once I got my outfit on, my caretakers, Melissa and Anna, started feeding me bananas and applesauce and I put on some praise music. Shortly after we did another coat of sunscreen, followed by a walk down Ali'i Drive. By then, Brent came out of the hotel and was a few feet ahead of us. Greg Smith, Anna and Mel were very close to my side. With tears in his eyes, Greg read our prayer with some of our group. Once our prayer was over, we hustled to the transition area to get prepared. We had about an hour and ten minutes until we were ready to go off. I put on yet another layer sunscreen and drank a bottle of water to prepare for such an unforgettable day. 

 Brent: Waiting to start was pretty hard for me.  I was a complete wreck by now.  Could we finish? Was the training enough? Would I make my family proud? So many thoughts rolling in my head.  It was making it all about me in that moment, but I couldn't help myself.  Once we went towards the water and I saw Kyle's nerves on his face, I knew we were in this together.  I looked over on the sea wall and it was a wave of KPeasey blue.  So many had traveled from all over to help us on this journey and they were all up early with us to bring us in.  We had this...we WERE together and we would find a way!  As the race start drew near, my eyes began to fill with tears, we had waited for a lifetime to share a stage like this.  Whether we knew it or not, we both wanted to share this experience.  One of the most special moments about a day like today is that Kyle makes ME feel like an athlete.  I was pampered all week with everyone helping me prep.  What age grouper gets that? What average person gets that?  Kyle makes me feel like every bit the athlete I try to make him feel like.  I thanked Kyle and before we knew it, the cannon was firing.  We were OFF and man were we moving.  I've never moved that fast with him.  I kept images of my family in my head, especially of my wife, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to help make this dream a reality, and of the two young kids that made me a father.  Their strength carried us to our fastest swim yet!

 Kyle: I was ushered to the water by our friend Jason and my Dad. They put me in the kayak and a big wave hit me and spraying water in my eyes and on my clothes. Brent swam out to softer water and we waited our turn to start the race. Before the cannon sounded, Brent held my hand with tears in his eyes and said "Being your brother is one of the greatest joys of my life and I promise I will give you my all today.  Please give me your all too." I said, "You got it, pal!" We were off! As we went over the first set of waves, I felt a sense of calm through prayer. I navigated us through the water to a PR of 1:07. As we got out of the water, a wave came crashing over me again. Jason scooped me out of the boat and ran with me up the stairs to the shower to get all of the salt water off my face and body. 

 Brent: The bike is the equalizer, but the boys from Cannon Cyclery had worked long days and nights (literally), to get us a KONA-ready bike in less than 17 weeks.  The KONA course is no joke, and even with favorable conditions it was still HOT. Even the slightest of winds could push our speed to 6 mph.  With all the weight we dropped together, we were still going to need to push a combined weight of almost 360 lbs to the top of Hawi and back again before our cut off.  Kyle kept willing me forward, “Focus Brent. You're a beast, Brent. Think about your family, push those pedals...COME ON MAN!!! You CAN DO THIS.”  Together we pushed the bike forward and maintained our focus.  Together we got the bike back to transition with more than enough time to spare.  This was foreign territory to us.  We were so used to being against the cut line, we weren't sure if we should have a hamburger and relax or get out on the run course!! 

 Kyle: I put more sunscreen on, ate a quick protein bar, and we were off on the bike following an incredibly fast six-minute transition. Kona1, the anointed name of our bike, performed so well and was so resilient.  “She” stayed with us for over eight hours and went up and down hills with relative ease. My brother was a true champion, a figurative Ironman even before being blessed with the official title. Our word of the day, which we said over and over again, was "focus". I would whisper to myself, "Focus on the task" to keep myself and ultimately Brent, just that…focused. The bike was our greatest equalizer, but nevertheless, we found a way to focus and get through that extremely, long journey. We had a 5:50 PM cut off time, and through our strength and tenacity to reach our dream, we made it with an hour to spare. 

 Brent: The run was the hardest we'd faced in my opinion.  I was tired from the heat and the fastest bike split we'd ever put together.  I was feeling a bit bloated and had to keep finding porta-a-potties to try and relieve myself.  I stopped eating, couldn't drink...I was losing that focus.  Around mile 18, Kyle asked me to slow down and get what I needed.  Despite the conditions and how I was feeling we were still doing GREAT.  It is an Ironman after all. We took what we needed and started with one foot in front of the other.  Our friends were out on the Queen K Highway with us.  Willing us forward. Cheering with Kyle...”COME ON BRENT...COME ON MAN!!” WE both pressed forward.  So tired, so overjoyed at the experience, so overwhelmed by the support.  As Dale Robinson said to us before we left, "When you in the world championship, we all in the world championship!" WE were going to do this.  TOGETHER.

 Kyle: We knew if we could make it through the bike, then the run would be a celebration, and boy it was. We had to deal with the elements of the rain and the darkness, but we found a way together to get through each tough moment. As our coach told us, “Enjoy this moment.” When we got to the finish line, the crowd was deafening. And boy was it a glorification of Him! All of the hard work of the fruits of our labor paid off upon hearing the words "Kyle Pease, You are an Ironman!" People have asked, what is next? My answer is simple, whatever life has in store for me and the Foundation…that's what's next. 

 Brent: As we came to the finish carpet, we started to soak it in.  The noise grew louder, and louder, I could feel myself floating.  The pain was gone, the fear faded and together we jolted towards the finish. This was one line to savor with Kyle, one we would remember for all our days.  He was no longer in a wheelchair, he was no longer playing wheelchair sports.  He was going to be a WORLD CHAMPION.  As we crossed the line, Mike Reilly shouted over the microphone, "Here comes Kyle Pease.  Kyle PEASE, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN".  I was exhausted and yet I felt myself jumping in front of Kyle...sharing in his joy...looking at my brother...an Ironman World Champion.  

 As I found my way to the athlete's finish area, I started to realize how tired I was.  I slumped into a chair and tears started rolling down my face.  I never imagined that we would be here. There were days I doubted it would ever happen and I wanted to just stop.  Just like Kyle told us to focus on the course, we kept our focus forward throughout this journey.  There are so many to thank and I have a stack of thank you cards a mile high on my desk, but I want to just offer a few words to convey just how special this was.

 Mom & Dad: Thank you for working so hard to raise all of the Pease boys and to help us find our way. Thank you for being the most wonderful parents one could ask for.

 Erica: Not too many people would live in their parents’ basement with their kids for two years to help us reach our goals.  Sharing that finish line with you and our family was one of the most special moments of my life.

 Betty: Thank you for pushing us out the door in 2010 and for being the first to encourage us to take on this challenge and supporting us every step along the way.

 Greg: You are Ohana. Thank you for believing in our dream and helping so many others realize theirs.  Together WE Did.

 Matthew: You built two athletes for a race, but you supported us in so many other ways.  Thanks for being a friend and for making us better people first and foremost.

 Thank you to all the athletes of Dynamo, past & present, for helping create the team that we have and for being a part of each of these successes.

 A special thanks to everyone in this special tri community in Atlanta.  You are volunteers, pushers, athletes and most of all friends.  Thank you all for your cheers, your messages and everything to help make this day unfold in the most perfect way.

 And a special thanks to Danielle Grabol, who somehow managed to get more than 50 supporters, all of our equipment, fundraising support and every moveable piece in just the right place for race day.  Allowed us to "finish the drill".

 Many more thanks to follow to this amazing community we consider part of our Ohana. We are all brothers.

 Together WE Wheel, Kyle & Brent

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:

How can you help? You can share this post, you can get your network engaged or you can donate to support the expansion of our mission by clicking here: DONATE

Every donation matters and will help to provide more support for disabled persons. Read more about our plans here: LAST BLOG

TOGETHER WE WHEEL!!

The Kyle Pease Foundation Cans Some Memories at Publix

Well if memories could be canned, those we experienced during the Publix Half Marathon would have no expiration date. What an absolutely incredible weekend it was. I cannot thank enough all those responsible for making the biggest event in our history a reality.

We all have good days and bad days. We all have days where we experience growth and other days where we face challenges. As a foundation, we need to take the Publix half marathon and put it into our back pocket to pull out at any time we need to expunge a bad day and replace it with incredible.

It will be a day that Brent and I will never forget. I’m confident it becomes a can of memories that will never expire.

From Friday night to the completion of the race on Sunday night, we were so busy. From getting chairs ready and to the starting area to making sure that everyone was comfortable and ready to roll, the entire behind the scenes operation, required a lot of attention to detail and great combined effort.

The banquet, which was held on Saturday night at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta was standing room only. The food was incredible and there was not a dry eye in the place. Everyone spoke from the heart and our race director, Helen Gardner, received a well-deserved standing ovation, while Brent and I exchanged mutual admiration for each other with standing O’s of our own.

It was the first banquet of this type with over three hundred in attendance and was the perfect acknowledgment of the fruits of our labor and a fitting thank you for all the hard work everyone put in.

All 58 athletes completed the race in flying colors and the KPF athletes had their own coral at the start of the race. This doesn’t usually occur, but was an example showing how we have truly arrived and been accepted as a key part of this historic race. It was simply inclusion at its best.

Our rally corner, located at mile 6.5 was standing room only and we could hear cheers of encouragement for miles as we were making our way around the corner.

Everyone who participated was honored to be a part of it. The foundation embodies what inclusion is all about and being accepted in such grand fashion was enough to make my heart beat right out of my chest. I have a goal of 90 athletes for next year’s race and feel that it is well within our reach.

Brent and I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of the sponsors and volunteers. Without you none of this would be happening. We’d also like to offer special thanks to the Atlanta Track Club to Helen Gardner, Danny Grabel, Ian Evans, Mike Ragan and Curtis Henry. Our since gratitude also goes out to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Champion Place, and the Titan Wheelchair Sports Program, all of who continue to make inclusion a reality in the greater Atlanta area.

And now a few inspiring words from my brother Brent: 

You have heard us boast of 58 wheelchair athletes, of triumphant finishes but none of that would be possible without the great partnership with the Titans Community Foundation & Rick Thompson.  They are doing amazing work and we were honored they asked to join us this year.  It allowed us to create awareness towards inclusion in a way we have never done before.

This race has turned into a massive undertaking for us.  We had 300 in attendance at dinner, 224 volunteers, 101 hotel rooms, 58 amazing athletes and 1 fantastic cause!  When I took my turn on the microphone I was overwhelmed at the site.  When this all started I don't think any of us realized the impact that Kpeasey could have, not just on those we serve, but on those around our organization.  Thank you to each of you for allowing us the opportunity to serve and for helping create the opportunity for inclusion.

The finishing photos are amazing and you can see more by clicking here: photos 

Camp-Wheel-Away is coming early this year during the weekend of April 6th. We are looking for campers to participate in this incredible weekend experience. Please reach out to Brent if you are interested in attending.

We are also currently accepting applications for the Jake Vinson Family Grant which will be awarded to a deserving recipient at our bowling event in November.

Our next official race will be the Peachtree Road Race on July 4th, the largest 10K in the world.

Spreading the Message of the Kyle Pease Foundation from Coast to Coast

It's been quite a stretch for the Kyle Pease Foundation as we have done everything from speaking at SAP Financial in the City of Brotherly of Love to traveling to Montgomery, AL for another speaking engagement. We then flew to the west coast for the Bay to Breakers Race with our main man, Curtis Ward to cap off an incredible two weeks. 

Curtis and I have had a very special relationship for the longest time as we played adaptive sports together several years ago and now he shares the road with me as a member of Walking with KPeasey. It is a true honor that our paths crossed again.

Curtis shared his thoughts about our trip together following the race, "My experience in San Francisco was perhaps the best race I have competed in so far. The Bay to Breakers was an interesting event as the racers threw soft shell tacos into the crowd along with marshmallows. Though that was interesting the highlight of the race was running with my friends."

There were two fundraisers held in CA for us. One was put on by

Brent's very good friend, Jeremy Carter, who also pushed Curtis. Jeremy works in Napa in wine country. The event was a Low Country Boil where they served sausage, corn, shrimp and wine. It was a great event and a wonderful time was had by all. 

One of my very first caretakers from Emory University was Suzanne Becker. She threw a fundraiser for us at a local bar. It was great to see her and her husband, as well as, seeing my former caregiver Anna Shields. 

It was great to spread the mission and to make more people aware of what we do. 

As always it was great to hang out with my brother, Brent and to spend some quality bro-time. 

Don't forget about submitting your application for the Jake Vinson Family Grant and until next time, Together We Wheel.