Kylie Vitukevich started a running group in Southern Maryland from scratch in 2024, and now she and several members will run in the Marine Corps Marathon.<\/b>
\nWhen a mom of three and Navy veteran moved to Southern Maryland, she turned to pounding the pavement and started her own running group to build friendships and train for her first marathon.
Kylie Vitukevich moved to Leonardtown, Maryland, from Hawaii with her Navy reservist husband in 2022. She had just left the Navy after serving for eight years.
After having her third child shortly after moving, she started running during her free time, a hobby she never thought she would do.
\u201cI was always that person in high school that would cut across the track and not finish the mile run in PE,\u201d Vitukevich told WTOP. \u201cBut I didn\u2019t really have anything for me, and I needed that outlet of something to do.\u201d
She was inspired by her sister-in-law, who had completed the Boston Marathon a few times, and decided to look for an all-women running group.
\u201cI didn\u2019t really have any friends in the area. I didn\u2019t know anyone that ran at all,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd although I do live in a very safe area, I just did not feel comfortable running on my own. I didn\u2019t really know where to run.\u201d
But she couldn\u2019t find a running group anywhere. So, she started her own called the \u201cSt. Mary\u2019s Girls Run Club.\u201d
\u201cI just had one person come, and it was amazing. I was terrified that nobody would show up because I really didn\u2019t know anybody in the area,\u201d Vitukevich said about the inaugural run of the group in March 2024.
\u201cSince then, we\u2019ve like consistently had 20-plus people come every weekend,\u201d she added.
During the summer months, the women will often start well before sunrise to beat the summer heat, always getting a coffee afterward.
\u201cIt\u2019s been such a great experience. I\u2019ve met so many wonderful women, and I feel like it\u2019s very inspiring to know them and know the reasons why they\u2019re running,\u201d she said.
Nine women from the group plan to run the Marine Corps Marathon this year, according to Vitukevich.
\u201cAnd I\u2019ve had at least that many say that they\u2019re going to come cheer us on at various spots throughout the race. \u2026 Just knowing that these people are going to drive an hour and a half and come cheer us on, that makes me want to cry,\u201d she said.
Vitukevich has run several half marathons. After her last 13.1-mile race, she figured she was ready to take the next step.
The Marine Corps Marathon will be special for the Navy veteran and her family.
\u201cThe Navy and the Marines, and the military in general, are very important to us, because I think we understand all the sacrifices that military families make firsthand,\u201d she said.
Beyond her running group, she said her husband and three kids have supported her on this training journey, coming on long runs with water and words of encouragement. Her two oldest kids will even run alongside her on the finishing stretches of her runs.
She said she hopes the training with her group and family will propel her to high-fiving a Marine at the finish line.
\u201cI\u2019m hoping that I can high-five them with a smile on my face and not tears of sadness or pain,\u201d she said.
Vitukevich said anyone who can\u2019t find a running group that fits them, should take a chance and start their own.
\u201cI\u2019ve had such positive feedback from everyone that comes. I constantly get messages from girls in the group that say their running has improved so much. They never thought that they could run as far as they do or as fast as they have without the support from other people in the group,\u201d she said.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
\u00a9 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.<\/p>\n