On Saturday, January 14, 2012 Brian Ball, a 2003 graduate of Fillmore High School, competed in his first Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston, TX. On race day 123 athletes were registered to run and out of that group 114 showed up at the start. Only 85 runners completed the race. Brian finished in 39th place with a time of 2:17.38. He is the training partner of 2004 silver medalist and 2009 New York City Marathon Champion, Meb Keflezighi who won the Trials and will compete in his third Olympics. Brian has been training for the last three years in Mammoth Lakes, CA.

Brian started his running journey in high school as a sprinter/middle distance runner competing primarily in the 200 and 400-meter events. He ran cross- country his senior year to get in shape for track season. He was the number three or four man on a team that won league and got second at the state meet.

During college at BIOLA University, he ran cross- country and track. He was injured his first track season but began his second year running the 800/1500. His final two seasons he competed in the 5k and 3000-meter steeplechase. He was a six time NAIA All American (3 years cross country/ 3 years track) while at BIOLA.

After a successful college career, he still had the desire to compete and felt he hadn’t reached his potential. With the encouragement of his parents, he headed off for Mammoth Lakes to train in altitude. Not knowing anyone, he trained alone for a month before he saw some of the Mammoth Track Club runners and was invited to a work out. Josh Cox, Olympians Ryan Hall, Meb Keflezighi and Dan Browne a former Westpoint graduate and current Major in the US Army accepted Brian into their group. He has trained primarily with Meb and Dan the past three years with the help of former Hall of Fame Coach at UCLA, Bob Larsen. Bob has coached Meb since his college days at UCLA. Brian feels very blessed to have Meb and Dan as friends that share his Christian faith and a common interest in running. They have become his mentors.