Meet Push-Assist Teammate, Noah Pines
Written By Kevin Enners
At The Kyle Pease Foundation, push athletes are the engine behind some of our best race-day memories. They’re the ones sweating alongside adaptive athletes through the miles so that athletes of all abilities can feel the thrill of the finish line.
Powered by caffeine and dad jokes, is Noah Pines, a criminal defense lawyer who has spent 30 years in court, yet somehow still finds the time to run races. Married to his wife Jen for 26 years — who has also pushed with KPF — Noah is a proud dad to Jack, a law student, and Lindsey, who is pursuing a master’s in speech pathology and has volunteered with KPF at Camp Wheel-A-Way. He’s also a big dog lover, with a rescued Golden Retriever from China, a mutt, a grand-dog, and even a grand-cat.
“I’m still not sure I consider myself a runner,” he says. “I just happen to do it… a lot.”
Noah’s entry into KPF wasn’t the result of some inspirational movie moment, but rather a spur-of-the-moment decision in 2019 when he signed up for an endurance hiking event, 29029. He saw a post about KPF from 29029’s coach, Brent. Noah turned to his wife, Jen, and said, “Hey, we should try it.” That was it. The emotional hook would sink in later.
“When I saw the pictures from our first 5K and saw the smile on our athlete’s face… That was the moment I knew I wanted to stay involved.”
So, Noah buckled down and got to training seriously…. Sort of. Noah’s training philosophy had been straightforward: do enough running so race day doesn’t kill you. Since 2020, he’s kept a steady diet of a weekly 5K and 10K. He had promised himself that he wouldn’t go overboard, that the goal wouldn’t be distance related. Rather it would be to stay sharp for the local 5ks and 10ks offered on KPF’s race schedule.
But all that changed in 2023 when something clicked in his mind, and he decided to register for the Marine Corps Marathon — an event he had always sworn he would never attempt. He committed to 20 weeks of training, and after crossing the finish line, he told himself it would be the last marathon he would ever push.
That was until The Disney Marathon, where Noah took on the Disney Dopey challenge: a 5K, a 10K, a half marathon, and a full marathon over four consecutive days. The Dopey challenge took 20 weeks of training, with 5 runs a week. Noah only missed 2 days of training in those 20 weeks, completing 98 percent of his training. Motivation, he admits, is the real battle. “Especially when it’s cold or raining,” he says. “But here’s the thing, it’s not going to get done by itself.”
Like many others, Noah says the start line always comes with nerves, whether it’s three miles or twenty-six. “I’m always nervous. But once we start, it’s all about my athlete. I want them to have the best possible experience… and to make sure we get a lot of pictures. Because if you don’t have pictures, did it really happen?”
Whatever the distance, he sets one goal: to make sure his teammates feel engaged and fulfilled. He tries to maximize their experiences by keeping it real and cracking jokes. “I don’t know if they think I’m funny, but I try. It’s a lot of dad humor, which is dangerous territory. Most importantly, I let them know I am there for them and I want them to have the best experience possible…even if we won’t be going fast. But if I can get them laughing, that’s a win.”
Ask Noah for his most memorable race and he’ll give you the Disney Marathon saga. Around mile 11, he was handed a new wheel to deliver to a team with a broken chair.
“As I was leaving the Magic Kingdom, I heard Operations Manager Zach Watson yell my name. He told me that there was a chair with a broken wheel at mile 12, that he needed me to take them a new wheel, and that he would try to meet me at mile 17 or 18 to get the broken wheel from me. I realized it was symbolic carrying it in honor of all the KPF athletes.”
Other standout moments for him include the Publix Half Marathon, which he calls a favorite because of the way the entire community comes together the night before to celebrate KPF athletes and honor Brent and Kyle’s vision for the foundation.
Being a push athlete has also changed Noah’s outlook. “I’ve learned to appreciate the journey more. The athletes inspire me to keep going when I want to stop. I’m grateful for the opportunity to push.” He emphasizes that the KPF athletes are competitive, impressive, and determined, and that their strength pushes him forward even when he feels like stopping.
This year, Noah’s heading back to Disney, but his participation in the marathon as a runner is questionable. “When I crossed the finish line last year, I made Brent, Kyle, Zach, and my daughter Lindsey promise to never let me sign up for another marathon again. We’ll see how that goes.”
Looking ahead, Noah also hopes to make an impact beyond the racecourse: raising funds, sponsoring events, and bringing in new volunteers to expand KPF’s reach. For Noah, the mission is bigger than the miles. “Inclusion means more than pushing wheelchairs at races. We need to create other areas of inclusion for our athletes.”
Noah has his share of quirks as an athlete. He insists on coffee before every race, considers it more important than food, and laughs at the fact that he never stretches. After a race, you can often find him at Waffle House celebrating with his teammates. His favorite season to race in is fall, and he relies on his Coros Watch to keep him on pace. He dreams of a flat course with 60-degree weather, not the 30-degree rain and hills of The Atlanta Publix Half-marathon and sums up race day in one word: Nerves.
His advice for anyone thinking about getting involved? SHOW UP. Don’t overthink it, don’t wait until you feel “ready.” Just put yourself on the start line. “The energy, the people, and the cause will carry you further than you expect. It will be the most rewarding run you’ve ever done.”
And above all, Noah wants people to know: “KPF is more than a charitable organization, it is a family. A family that has welcomed me and will welcome anyone who is willing to show up, so show up!”
