Makena Morley could miss her senior track season after a doctor determined she is suffering from an iron deficiency and diagnosed her with anemia.
The Bigfork senior and multiple state champion distance runner told the Beacon on Thursday that she will be sidelined from competition for an unknown period of time.
“I won’t be racing for awhile but hoping that I will be able to reach some of my goals by state and after,” she said.
The track season recently got underway and concludes May 22-23 with the Class B state meet at Legends Stadium in Kalispell.
Morley is the defending Class B state champion in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 races. In the fall cross country season, she broke her own all-class state record. She won a high-profile international race in Scotland in January, further cementing her place among the best prep runners. She has committed to run at the University of Montana next fall.
Morley competed at the 75th Nike Chandler Rotary Invitational track meet in Arizona on March 21 and ran the 1,600. She said after returning home she felt something was wrong and had low energy. After visiting a doctor, she discovered she was very iron deficient and anemic.
Anemia is a condition that develops when a person’s blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells. It is the most common blood condition in the U.S., affecting roughly 3.5 million Americans. Women are at an increased risk of developing anemia. It can lead to extreme fatigue.
Iron deficiency is a common nutritional deficiency and is also more common among women.