Wheelchair-Assisted Team of Brothers Aims to Cross IRONMAN Finish Line

VIDEO: Directed and produced by Atlanta filmmaker James Schroeder, this video tells the story of brothers Brent and Kyle Pease, their life together, and their mission to create awareness and raise funds to promote success for persons with disabilities through sports.

Two brothers from Atlanta, Georgia, were selected to compete this fall at the IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i.

Kyle and Brent Pease are the only wheelchair-assisted duo in this year’s race and they are seeking to be the second ever duo-wheelchair-assist team to finish the race—an opportunity the brothers have sought since 2012.

They will go up against 2,400 of the world’s toughest athletes at the race’s 40th anniversary event taking place on Oct. 13, 2018.

As they prepare for their toughest race to date, they’re motivated by the greater goal of promoting inclusion for all athletes.

The brothers are the founders of the Kyle Pease Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of the disabled through sports.

Following a grueling 14-week training schedule that consisted of more than 280 combined hours of swimming, biking, running and strength training, the Pease brothers are ready to take on the toughest single-day endurance event on the planet.

Once completed, they will be the first brother duo and the second wheelchair-assisted team to ever cross the finish line at the World Championship.

Kyle and Brent Pease. PC: https://www.facebook.com/WalkingWithKPeasey

With more than just pride on the line, Kyle and Brent are competing to raise funds and awareness for their foundation. Having launched its $250,000 Kona Capital Campaign in August to support the team’s travel to the race and other initiatives to further the organization’s mission, the foundation has raised more than $133,000 of its goal. Much of the donations have come from friends, family and corporate sponsors, including Dynamo Multisport, Cannon Cyclery, MillerClapperton, Locumtenens.com, Newton Running and Thousand Eyes.

“The past three-and-a-half months training for the IRONMAN World Championship have been the hardest, yet most rewarding in my life,” shares Brent Pease, executive director of the Kyle Pease Foundation. “This has been a dream of mine since I completed my first IRONMAN in 2010. To be able to compete with Kyle, while raising money for a cause that is so near and dear to my heart, makes it that much more magical. We’re ready to take on Kona and further prove that people of all abilities can accomplish anything they set their minds to—we can all be an IRONMAN.”

Kyle and Brent Pease. PC: https://www.facebook.com/WalkingWithKPeasey

Wheelchair-Assisted Requires an Extra Gear

Unlike most races featuring wheelchair-related athletes who start at the front, the Pease brothers will follow the 2,400 elite competitors into the water. Last to start, they must finish within the same 17-hour time limit that is applicable to the able-bodied participants. Using custom-built gear that has been designed for optimal performance and comfort, Brent will pull Kyle 2.4 miles across the Kailua Bay in a swim boat designed by Advanced Elements, which will be secured to his waist. Once on land again, Brent must transition Kyle for the 112-mile ride along the lava fields in 85-degree heat and humidity in an adapted bike from Freedom Concepts that has been modified by Cannon Cyclery with custom Boyd Cycling Wheels. The brother’s will finish with Brent pushing Kyle in an Eagle Sports running chair for the 26.2-mile run.

While any IRONMAN triathlon is difficult, the conditions in Kona, which include ocean currents and waves on the swim, high winds and significant elevation on the bike and scorching temperatures on the run make it difficult for even the most experienced triathletes to complete. Kyle and Brent must weather the same conditions while supporting each other and many extra pounds of gear. This is why only one other assisted athlete team in the history of IRONMAN Kona has successfully completed the race.

To follow Kyle and Brent’s performance in Kona, visit www.kylepeasefoundation.org and on Facebook.

To donate to the Foundation’s Kona Capital Campaign, go online.

About the Kyle Pease Foundation

The Kyle Pease Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of the disabled through sports. Founded in 2011, it is focused on generating awareness of inclusion and raising funds to promote success for persons with disabilities by providing assistance to meet their individual needs through sports. Programs include scholarships, medical or adaptive sports equipment and contributing to organizations that provide similar assistance to disabled persons. The foundation also participates in educational campaigns to create awareness about cerebral palsy and other disabilities. For more information, go online or check out the Together We Wheel documentary.