Dunkirk graduate Katrina Mackowiak will run in the Boston Marathon on Monday. Submitted Photo

A former Dunkirk High School track and cross-country athlete is taking the next big step in her running career — 26.2 miles worth of steps, to be exact.

On Monday, Katrina Mackowiak, who held school records in indoor and outdoor track, is running the Boston Marathon, one of the world’s most prestigious road-racing events.

In high school, Mackowiak set Dunkirk’s indoor track record in the 1,000-meter run and the outdoor record in the 800-meter run.

After graduating in 2001, Mackowiak ran at the collegiate level for the SUNY Geneseo Knights. She earned the distinction of serving as team captain for the Geneseo Women’s cross country team during her senior year, when her team won a Division III national championship.

She continued to train after college, running numerous half marathons and several full marathons.

In recent years, Mackowiak made it her personal mission to qualify for the Boston Marathon, traveling to courses across the country to continuously improve her marathon time.

Though many Boston Marathon-qualifying races were temporarily paused during the pandemic, she remained undeterred and stuck to her training regimen. She qualified for Boston with a marathon she completed in Savannah, Georgia.

Mackowiak currently lives in the Atlanta, Georgia-area with her husband and three children. When she brings her family home to visit her parents, John and Valerie Mackowiak, who live in Dunkirk, Mackowiak is often seen running along Lakefront Boulevard and Point Gratiot.