Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, Foster ran for North Carolina Central University, winning the 1974 NCAA Championships. A few weeks later that season, he won the National Championships. On tour, he also won the French national championship. The NCAA victory qualified him for the World University Games the following year, where he won the Gold Medal. He was able to win the National Championship again in 1977 in a tie with UCLA's James Owens, making him the U.S. representative at the 1977 IAAF World Cup, where he won a bronze medal. He picked up an additional bronze medal in international competition at the 1979 Pan American Games. He also picked up a pair of National Indoor championships in 1975 and 1978.