My name is Brooke, and I’m Carson’s older cousin from Florida. Let me start by saying: in high school, I was the kid who would fake being sick just to avoid running the mile in P.E. I. Don’t. Run.
Fast forward ten years after graduation, and I found myself working one of the most stressful jobs out there—Emergency Services Dispatcher. At work, I was stuck in a room for 12 hours at a time, answering phones or radios depending on the shift. Over time, I started having trouble sleeping. My mind was constantly racing. Eventually, I began to show signs of what would become PTSD.
I needed an outlet—a coping mechanism—some way to burn off the stress and energy. I knew my cousin Carson was a runner (and FAST), but I had no idea where to start. So, I reached out to him for advice and training plans. Now and then, I’d go for a short run around my neighborhood after work, and surprisingly, it felt… okay. I was slow, but I was definitely sleeping better.
As a Florida girl, Disney has always been one of my happy places. The Philbins would usually visit during the summer, and we’d spend lots of time at the parks—it holds a lot of joy for me. I found out Disney hosts several races each year through the parks, so I thought, why not? Why not train for a half marathon? Why not try to push myself—run (or walk) farther and farther—with a goal in mind?
There’s always been a running joke in the family: who’s the fastest? It’s ALWAYS the Philbins. But the Ball family? We’re going to show up.
And I did. I ran my first half marathon—and I was HOOKED.
Since then, I’ve trained for 5Ks, 10Ks, hit my original goal of completing a half marathon, and now… I’ve finished three full marathons. My latest was on January 12, 2025.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d become a three-time marathon finisher. Me. Slow-as-a-turtle me.
Why? Because—why not?
Now, I get to teach my daughter that she’s only limited by her own imagination—and to always keep finding her own “why not.”
Brooke Ball
