(Photo by Cedric Gillette)
"Your season is over." The words no athlete or runner ever want to hear, especially when it comes from a doctor. Unfortunately, for Hernando sophomore Trevor Foley is quest for a 2A cross country state championship will have to wait until next fall. Foley was fine Friday night before the 2A Region 2 Championship and felt okay on Saturday, but his mother Shannon says as soon as he took off he didn't feel right.
"A mile into the race he blacked out several times and collapsed at the finish line. He doesn't remember running the race or even finishing."
Foley crossed the line in 17:08, a far cry from the 16 minute times he was averaging at the beginning of the season. He finished the race in 15th place helping the team advance in third. Following the race, Foley's mother called the doctor and the two thought it might be an issue of electrolytes. The doctor went onto say if Trevor wasn't feeling his best to bring him to the hospital.
CT scans, EKG's, and even an ultrasound revealed his left ventricle was a little swollen, and perhaps a virus taxed his body causing him to feel weak and tired and ultimately blacking out in Saturday's race. Foley spent two days at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa and was ultimately released on Tuesday afternoon. That was the good news. The bad news from the cardiologist was no running for several months says mom.
"He is done for the season. He is still not feeling himself. They said 7 to 10 days for a virus to run through the body and it is not worth him running. He still has two more years of cross country."
There is no doubt we will see Foley return to form and pick up where he left off in 2015 (15:34.53 PR at UF Mt. Dew Invitational) and five of eight first place finishes, but with him not on the line in Tallahassee, the race for the 2A individual title becomes a little easier. Even though he isn't racing, the youngster will definitely be in attendance to cheer on his teammates.
