Foreman thriving despite respiratory issue

DES MOINES -- Brooke Foreman speaks fine. It's the breathing that can be a challenge.

That's why the junior hurdler from Cedar Rapids Washington is undergoing speech therapy, to make life a little easier when she competes.

Foreman has been diagnosed with vocal cord dysfunction, a condition that produces airflow obstruction at the level of the larynx.

“My windpipe closes when it's supposed to be open. I've been going to speech therapy to retrain my vocal cords," Foreman said Saturday after competing at the Drake Relays.

"At first we thought it was asthma, but the inhaler just wasn't helping.”

The condition makes it a challenge for Foreman to compete in her signature event, the 400-meter hurdles.

She finished fourth in the event at Drake, in 1 minute, 3.88 seconds. She also led off Washington's shuttle hurdle relay team, which placed third.

The Warriors were ahead after Foreman's leadoff leg. Taylor Vogel, Alissa Oney and Layloni Beard rounded out the Warriors' effort of 1:04.50.

“I didn't expect to be out that fast (in the shuttle)," Foreman said.

The Warriors had the second-best time in the preliminaries, then finished behind Urbandale and Waukee in the final.

“I think they're catchable, as long as we keep running the way we can," Beard said. “I love the shuttle. I like the team part of it. When we get to a meet, I can't wait for the shuttle.”

The short races -- the shuttle and the 100-meter hurdles -- don't affect Foreman's respiratory system like the 400 hurdles, an event she calls "the most challenging race there is.” 

Foreman is thriving despite her condition which she called "half mental." She's also short by hurdling standards -- 5-foot-3.

“I've lifted weights since my freshman year, and I've gotten a lot stronger, so my height isn't a disadvantage to me," she said.

"I want to do this in college. I don't want to stop.”