WASHINGTON, D.C. –
More than 23,000 athletes ran the 49th Marine Corps Marathon, whose them was “Celebrating Women in Service – A Bond that Bridges Generations.” For one Air Force intelligence officer, the theme gave her a little extra drive during the race and her competition in the Armed Forces Championship.
1st Lt. Caroline Wittich, an intelligence officer, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, said she loved this year’s theme, and it inspired her during her race.
“At the Air Force Academy, we had great mentors who paved the way so we could serve,” she said. “I’ve had all these amazing female leaders. In Korea, I had a female squadron and group commander who were both fighter pilots. I was lucky.”
Academy
Born in Springfield, Virginia, Wittich said that though she grew up near the U.S. Naval Academy, she didn’t want to live on a ship and wanted to learn the Air Force mission.
“I got my jump wings and jumped five times solo and considered flying, but I love the mission planning, the behind-the-scenes work,” she said. “When I went to Korea, many of my friends were flying, and I was able to support them on their missions. It was a really cool mindset. There’s a lot of opportunities in intel. You can go to a lot of different places.”
Sports
Wittich ran her freshman and sophomore years of high school. She swam in high school and at the Academy. She competed at state all four years in high school for swim in breaststroke, sprint and freestyle. She competed All-conference three years at the Academy in swim in breaststroke. She also swam in some distance freestyle.
“I really committed everything to it,” she said of her swimming. She also ran all four years at the Academy, more as a break from swimming.
“I would squeeze running in as much as I could,” she said.
Her senior year, she ran the Colorado Marathon, her first marathon, to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
“I loved sprinting, and then I just loved the endurance side of things. I love running,” Wittich said, with a big smile.
She said training at altitude in Colorado at the Academy for four years helped her with breathing and endurance.
“Nothing feels as hard as running at 7,258 feet,” she quipped.
Boston
When Wittich ran the Boston Marathon with her sister in 2023, finishing with a time of 3:38:22, it meant something special.
Her dad ran the Boston Marathon in 2013. Wittich, her mom and sister had been on their way toward the finish line to meet him when the bombs had gone off but were safe.
“We were really close to that second blast,” she said. “You never think you’re going to be in that moment. I was only 13. It was shocking. I was at a marathon. No one expected that. I’m just glad we were safe.”
Her parents were invited back and ran Boston in 2014. For her and her sister, it was a culmination of honoring Boston Strong.
“I didn’t break my best time; it’s a tough course, but we did it together,” she said. “We were just eyes on the prize the whole time, and we finished with our arms up in celebration, ten years later, of what our family went through. It wasn’t about pace or time but about memorializing the race and our experiences.”
Wittich said she carries over that Boston Strong mentality to running for the Air Force team and encourages Airmen to give running a try.
“Start out slow and set a goal every time to go five minutes more,” she said. “Running will get easier if you stay consistent. It’s good for your health.”