Atlanta Brothers, Kyle and Brent Pease, Head to IRONMAN World Championship
Duo Competing to be First Wheelchair-Assisted Team of Brothers to Finish the Most Challenging Single-day Endurance Event in the World
ATLANTA, Oct. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Kyle and Brent Pease, founders of the Kyle Pease Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of the disabled through sports, are heading to Kailua-Kona, Hawaii to compete in the IRONMAN World Championship on October 13. Following a grueling 14-week training schedule that consisted of more than 280 combined hours of swimming, biking, running and strength training, the 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.
With more than just pride on the line, Kyle and Brent are competing to raise funds and awareness for the Kyle Pease 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 coming 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."
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 at www.facebook.com/WalkingWithKPeasey. To donate to the Foundation's Kona Capital Campaign, go to https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/ironman-world-championship-2018/kylepeasefoundation.
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, please visit http://www.kylepeasefoundation.org or check out the Together We Wheel documentary.
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SOURCE Kyle Pease Foundation
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