3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?
I loved the course, had the perfect mix of hills and flats. The atmosphere, it was electric throughout the whole race.
Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?
I fueled perfectly. Raced the plan to best extent. Started comfortable and cut down. I blazed through the last 10K like I was supposed to and felt comfortable and great 22 miles.
Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner
Use your fuel. Don’t use so much that you’re full and uncomfortable but utilize what you got.
Lessons you learned that will help you next time around
I can go out conservative, but don’t hold back too much and hold off your potential fitness. Race to what you know!
Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?
It was a great course! A lot of spectators.
Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
It was organized.
Competition – Is there a strong field?
This year was USATF National Marathon Championships so it was a very elite field.
Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?
The aid stations were amazing. Not only do you get your water but you get Nuun, Gu/Gels. Very helpful for someone who does not have their own bottles on the table.
Weather and typical race conditions
Weather usually seems to be 40 mid, this time the course was wet from rain but it held off during the race.
Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?
Very friendly spectator course.
How’s the Swag?
Cool shirts nice medals and small and decent post race jacket
The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?
3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?
Positive energy from the field and spectators
Fast course
Well organized
Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you
Slightly early start time
Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?
Once you get off the bus at the start line, the only thing you can do with clothes you don’t want to run in is ditch them right then and there. They get collected, and then donated.
Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?
The course is mostly flat and fast. The large field makes for great energy and good company.
Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner
Don’t wait until too close to the starting gun to get to the bathroom. I lined up at ~6:35, and made it into the corral with 5 minutes to spare. By that point, I also couldn’t get up to the pacing group I wanted to run with. I had to dodge and weave a bit in the first few miles, and ended up running an extra 0.2 miles total.
Lessons you learned that will help you next time around
Run the tangents better, 26.2 is far enough!
Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race
Expect a lot of rolling hills in the first half, and modify the pace accordingly. The last 12 are the flat/fast reward for managing the pace right in the beginning.
Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?
It’s not bad. Not incredibly scenic, but it’s not terrible.
Difficulty – Is it a tough course?
No, this is a great course to run.
Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
Very well organized, well planned, and well thought out.
Competition – Is there a strong field?
Deep field. 2:50 didn’t even crack the top 500.
Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?
Course had 17 aid stations, including 4 that had Gu gels. The aid stations had Nuun options, as well as water.
Weather and typical race conditions
45 degrees and overcast throughout, but no rain. Great to run in, but a little chilly waiting at the start.
Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?
My family was able to catch me at four different points along the course. They had no problem finding parking at various points, including the finish in downtown Sacramento.
How’s the Swag?
Standard.
The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?
Five stars. Fantastic event.
Prepping for your next race? Check out our checklist to help you prepare!
3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?
The rolling hills
Weather held up really well
More than enough aid/fuel stations
Most important CIM course specific knowledge to know about the race
In case you forget your hydration/nutrition either back in the hotel or in the shuttle, don’t let it ruin your race because every mile 1-2miles.
Difficulty – Is CIM a tough course?
The course is not easy but not the most difficult only because you do run some rollers
Competition – Is there a strong field?
So many runners show up you’re more than likely going to find either a pack or a couple runners giving each other that extra push for a stronger finish.
Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.
The sooner you book a hotel the better because they will fill up quick.
Weather and typical race conditions
Partly cloudy, 42°F & 1mph wind
Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next runner?
I would recommend future runners to wear bottom and/or top gear for the shuttle and warming up before the race because all gets donated
Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?
Definitely will invite friends and family to spectate
How’s the Swag?
Cannot go wrong with a long sleeve.
The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run CIM?
The course was marked really well, volunteers were on point at all stations and cannot forget about the cheering spectators.
Running coach Keith Laverty is here with his California International Marathon review to share what you need to know before running the race, including his tips for hill training.
3 Bests – What aspects of the California International Marathon did you like the most?
1. The DEEP field of talented runners to help pull me along in packs along with the camaraderie that came with it. Many of us were going for big PRs, some even for OTQs, so we were running fast but running together too. Some runners even offered to share their bottles with the pack.
2. The awesome fanfare and volunteers along the course – some groups got LOUD. Several strangers even gave me shoutouts of “go rabbit!” as I was wearing my rabbitELITE singlet.
3. Just how everyone really laid it all out there on the line, taking some chances and giving it their all to pursue their big marathon goals.
Not so much – What aspects of the California International Marathon didn’t do it for you?
Because this event had 12,000 participants, it was tough to even find my peers/friends after the finish – the crowds gathered up quickly! It would’ve been fun to share some more stories afterward with several people that I knew who were competing.
The post-race food options felt pretty minimal overall and unsatisfying – except for one thing: the cups of hot chicken broth!
Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about the California International Marathon?
Perhaps the high amount of carnage over the last 6-8 miles of the race. All for a very valid and brave reasoning, many were going all-in to snag the OTQ of 2:19, and this event was nearly the last chance before the Marathon Trials in late February. Guys were dropping left and right, jogging, cramping, or walking; I’ve never seen such a battlefield out there before. I felt like my training wasn’t quite where it needed to be in order to hold that kind of pace for 26.2 miles but wanted to run as fast as I could, so I was stoked to run to a big PR. Perhaps another time down the road, I will take more of a gamble.
Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?
-Pacing: I locked into 5:26-5:34 pace for 24 of the 26 miles.
-Focus/Patience: Completely focused, yet calm and basically, in the complete zone. Clicking away one mile at a time. I was able to move up from 153rd at the half marathon point to 99th place in the end. Passing each person was giving me more and more confidence and momentum to help get over those last 6 miles, which is always a tough challenge.
-Running with a pack / Drafting: I found a great pack of the same 5 guys to run with from about Mile 6 through 18, and this helped even more for me to stay so focused. Some sections were a bit windy, so drafting within this pack also helped me save a ton of energy.
-Nutrition: I took a gel about every 5 miles, so carried 5 gels in my pockets. Three of them had caffeine, so alternated between caffeine and a non-caffeine gel. Never had any cramping issues (until after the finish line!).
Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the California International Marathon to help the next runner
Put in plenty of faster, road training work in the training leading up to California International Marathon. I did several mile repeat workouts on the roads, as well as long run workouts and long progression runs, ranging from 17-20 miles total. If you don’t have a strong climbing background, then be sure to include some hill work/repetitions and even some easy hilly runs into your weekly training as well.
Shout out to my coach, Max King, who had me feeling well prepared by race day!
Most important course specific knowledge to know about the California International Marathon?
-Not a huge deal but there several road sections with pretty big potholes or cracks/bumps in the pavement, so just something to be cognizant of as you’re racing.
-Very minimal turns, so that was nice to keep a nice, steady rhythm along the course.
-The first half seemed to have bigger hills, so just be aware to not pound those downhills too hard too early, or you may suffer a lot more over the 2nd flatter half of the course.
Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?
Not particularly. In several sections that were fairly standard commercial streets. However, there were some pleasant, residential streets early on and later into the race with nice tree foliage. I was personally exceptionally focused on racing and hitting a specific pace more than usual, so I really wasn’t paying too much attention to my surroundings to begin with except for the packs/competition around me!
Difficulty – Is the California International Marathon a tough course?
Coming from my recent background of mountain and ultra races, I’m more biased to say no, but it does have some decent rolling hills that don’t look like much at first glance when checking the course profile. Despite the rollers, I felt it was the easiest marathon course I’ve ever run.
Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
From the bus shuttles, the expo (with security machines!), and pre-race communication, they did an excellent job. The one blemish was probably the drop bag situation. It was fairly chaotic just trying to drop it off with the hordes of people. Then picking it up after the race took longer than expected but really not a huge deal to me in the end.
Competition – Is there a strong field at the California International Marathon?
The depth of competition is likely the deepest in the United States – deeper than even Chicago and Boston Marathon. When a 2:24 barely got me into the top 100, you know it’s stack and with a $12,000 prize purse for the winners, highly competitive runners will travel from all over the place to compete here. The race featured a ton of “dream chasers” to try run the OTQ Marathon standards of 2:19 for the men and 2:45 for the women.
Logistics – Does the California International Marathon require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.
Registration usually sells out in early September, so definitely something you want on your radar well in advance. I think hotels book up very fast as well but there were plenty of great AirBNB options in the few weeks leading up to the race.
The biggest thing to plan ahead for is making sure to figure out which shuttle bus (5 locations to choose from) to take to the start line – New for this year, they no longer allowed runners to be dropped off near the start area.
Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?
There were a whopping 17 aid stations! So an aid station less than every 2 miles on average. Each aid station had volunteers handing out cups of Nuun Endurance first (Mango Citrus), followed by the next wave of volunteers handing out cups of water. Four of the aid stations also handed out Clif Shots and Clif Bars.
Weather and typical race conditions?
I believe this year was in the low 50s and overcast for the majority of the race. There were a couple of miles of misty showers but that actually felt refreshing. Usually ideal for marathon racing!
Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next guy?
Just fast racing shoes, shorts with pockets (to stash my gels) and a watch! I also recommend light racing gloves – at least for me, it helps regulate my body temperature.
If you don’t want to fuel with Clif Shots, then I could easily see a minimal waist belt could be very handy as well to carry the nutrition that you know works best for you.
Spectators – Is the California International Marathon a friendly course for your friends?
Since it’s a point-to-point course, friends could come out to support you but likely limited to 1-2 stops along the course (besides the finish area in downtown). I’d imagine parking is a bit tricky downtown with some street closures and the 12,000 participants, so they’d need to plan well ahead.
How’s the Swag?
Standard – a long sleeve tech shirt, a plastic water bottle and a hefty medal! Oh, and a very thin finisher jacket at the finish line to help keep your body temperature warm. It was badly needed this year since the race org got behind on getting everyone’s drop bag back to them in a timely fashion. This was a major issue that they publicly apologized and acknowledged, mentioning it will be improved for next year.
The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?
5 out of 5 stars – It’s an awesome opportunity to run a PR and an extremely deep field of runners to help pull you along for a faster day.
Keith Laverty is a coach with Team RunRun. To learn more about him or to work with Coach Keith, check out his coaching page.
Planning for the California International Marathon? Get more info and race reviews from our CIM intel page!
3 Bests – What aspects of the CIM Marathon did you like the most?
Convenient shuttle bus from Sacramento (finish) to Folsom (start) on race morning.
Well stocked aid stations.
More porta potties than I’ve ever seen at a marathon.
Not so much – What aspects of the CIM didn’t do it for you?
Due to construction at the host hotel, the expo was relocated to an arena about 7 miles from downtown. The race organizers provided shuttles but it was still not super convenient. I think the expo will be back to the regular location in 2020.
Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about the CIM Marathon?
Nothing particular but our shuttle bus did drive under the Johnny Cash bridge on the way to the start.
Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?
I really enjoyed all the training leading up to the race. Race day was just the icing on the cake! My goal was 3:45 and I ended up at 3:40 so that is definitely a highlight!
Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the CIM Marathon to help the next runner
The race is a point to point from Folsom to Sacramento. If you stay in Folsom, you cannot get near the start line due to security. You have to take a shuttle bus from one of several points in Folsom. Once the shuttle arrives, you have to leave the bus. On the other hand, if you are staying in Sacramento you can ride a bus to Folsom and stay onboard until 15 minutes before race start. It was nice to have a warm, dry spot to rest and relax before the race.
Lessons you learned that will help you next time around
Like normal, I put out all my clothes and gear the night before the race. I also wrote myself a super detailed script of everything I needed to do on race morning. I had my best pre-race night of sleep ever. I’ll do the detailed script for every race in the future.
Most important course specific knowledge to know about the CIM Marathon?
CIM bills itself as a net downhill course and the fastest course on the West Coast. The net downhill is true but if you look at Strava results from prior races, there is over 700 feet of climbing during the race. Fortunately, I learned this from Julie Urbanski’s race report and incorporated adequate hill training prior to the race.
Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?
I have no idea. I ran with complete tunnel vision.
Difficulty – Is it a tough course?
Be prepared for the rolling hills.
Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
I had no issues with the organization. I didn’t use the bag drop but I heard lots of complaints about long delays getting bags returned at the finish.
Competition – Is there a strong field?
More than 100 runners had times below the Olympic Trials Qualifying Standard. This is a popular race for people trying to qualify for Boston. The race has good competitive energy regardless of your pace.
Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.
Nothing difficult about registration but hotels near the finish line in Sacramento book up fast.
Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?
Every two miles. This year they had water and NUUN Endurance. There were Clif Bars and Shots every five miles.
Weather and typical race conditions
Typically this race has start temperatures in the low 40’s with finish temperatures in the mid 50’s. This year there was a big threat of rain leading up to the race. A big storm front rolled through the night before the rain. It was wet at the start but I only encountered a very slight shower around mile 11.
Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next guy?
Nothing special needed.
Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?
There weren’t many spectators the first half of the race but I started seeing many more the closer we got to Sacramento. Friends would most likely have to pick a single spot to see their runner. Due to the point to point nature and route, it would be a challenge to connect more than once.
How’s the Swag?
Nice long sleeved technical shirt, water bottle, mini Clif bars and NUUN samples.
The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?
I’d give it five stars and would recommend it.
Planning for the California International Marathon? Get more info and race reviews from our CIM intel page!
Runner Matt K breaks down his experience at the California International Marathon in this race report. It includes what you should know about the start line and why he recommends a different strategy at mile 19.
3 Bests – What aspects of the California International Marathon did you like the most?
The starting line was a runners dream; space to do warm ups, drop bags were easy to drop off, and tons of bathrooms! I haven’t done many marathons, but this was by far the best setup at a starting line I’d ever seen. We had a friend drop us off at the start, so I can’t vouch for the shuttles the race also provides.
The racers! This is a fast course, and despite not being anywhere close, getting to share the course with so many fast people (and the Olympic trials!) was cool.
Great volunteers. The volunteers in this race were plentiful and knew their stuff. Aid stations generally went smoothly (sometimes confusion about whether water or nuun was first) and fast.
Not so much – What aspects of the California International Marathon didn’t do it for you?
There aren’t any corrals at the start, and getting into the correct position can be tough. I tried to find my place with 4 – 5 minutes before the start with the goal of lining up just behind the 3:02 pace group. Instead I was initially stuck behind the 3:07 group and up against the fence; not a great place to start. Luckily, after the wheeled race began, runners moved forward and I was able to move off the fence (but was still around the 3:07 group). I’m a fan of corrals / wave starts.
Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about the California International Marathon?
It isn’t particularly weird, but for such a fast race, the course isn’t flat! The course is billed as net downhill (which it is), but there are around a dozen hills you’ll need to downshift on to keep your effort in check.
The race is built around the BQ. Pacers are set up for each BQ standard minus 3 minutes, the finish boasts a huge bell for runners to ring if they BQ, and they were also handing out Boston Cream Pie cupcakes. It was all in good fun, but it felt a bit strange to focus on one race so intently.
Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?
I was pleased with pacing in this race. Despite a rolling first half, HR and pace were consistent, with only a +10 second slowdown between the first and second halves. It felt like a lot of runners started making their moves around miles 10 – 13, and I saw them again around miles 20 – 22.
Lessons Learned – Share your pro-tips on the California International Marathon to help the next runner or yourself on the next time around
I made my move around mile 19, which was a bit early. Since I was feeling good,, I started getting ideas of catching the 3:02 group. However, after just 3 or 4 miles I was squarely in the I’m-never-doing-this-again camp. I was able to hang on to the finish, but waiting a few more miles would have the same result with a bit less anguish.
Most important course specific knowledge to know about the California International Marathon?
Have a plan for the hills; early in the race it’s easy to get going too fast. While I consider myself more of an uphill runner, in this race I found myself passing others on the downhills (and sometimes 15 seconds / mile ahead of pace), and considered the uphills my chance to rest and get my pace back in the target. It seems counterintuitive, but it felt natural at the time.
Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
This was one of the best managed races I’ve seen; the start was fantastic (see previous), and race logistics were easy. It is a bit of scramble to get back to your hotel after the race, but that’s every race.
Logistics – Anything special regarding getting to/from the race, hotels around the course, registration…?
We stayed at an Airbnb in Folsom to be close to the start, and had a crew member drive us to the start, which worked perfectly. Registration and the race expo were pretty standard, though they did have panels with knowledgeable runners like Lee McKinley and Tim Twietmeyer that may be worth catching.
Weather and typical race conditions
I’ve heard of every possible weather condition for this race, but in my case it was clear and dry, with it being around 40 at race start and hitting the low 50s throughout the day. Perfect racing weather!
Spectators – Is the California International Marathon a friendly course for your friends?
Yes. There are several quiet residential sections as a runner, so don’t expect crazy crowds like a big city marathon, but there are several places for friends and family to cheer and spectate. And watching the Olympic trials was a nice bonus!
How’s the swag?
Swag was above average for sure. The finish line had disposable jackets that are a lot easier to use than space blankets, and the expo gave a zip up jacket, socks, and a fanny pack that might actually become part of my standard gear.
The Overall Score – How many stars do you give the California International Marathon and do you recommend that others run it?
I’d give the California International Marathon a 5 out of 5 stars. It’s got almost the same star power as a big city marathon, but considerably cheaper and easier logistically. Getting to share the course with potential Olympians was a great experience, and the course makes it possible to have a really great day.
Planning for the California International Marathon? Get more info and race reports from our CIM intel page!
3 Bests – What aspects of the CIM Marathon did you like the most?
Super well organized. It seems like a race that’s put on by runners, for runners. It’s an Olympic qualifier race so they have their sh*t together for every last detail. That includes the emails beforehand, the expo, and execution on race day. I’ve definitely run several races where you wonder if anyone actually organizing the race is a runner because so many decisions seem so terrible for the runners. This is not one of them.
The weather. Mid 40’s at the start, warmed to mid 50’s with sun and clear skies, and no wind. This isn’t the case every year, but there’s good odds for good weather in early December in Sacramento. It’s a hell of a lot better than the odds for weather in Seattle this time of year.
My mental game. From the start my legs had no gas and it felt like I started with a half tank, so that was a little unsettling from the beginning. I played every mental game I could to stay positive, from breaking it up into small pieces, to going straight by feel rather than the watch, to fueling, to jamming out to music. I definitely resorted to bargaining (ie, I’m never doing this again, I swear this is the last one if I just get through this one). Though I never went to the “dark place” as another friend calls it, I was on the edge a few times. I’m happy I kept my sh*t together all the way to the finish.
Not so much – What aspects of the CIM Marathon didn’t do it for you?
It’s not flat! Apparently I have no memory of the CIM marathon course from 2010, because it’s the same rolling hills course, especially in the first half, and I was not ready for it. Part of my legs having no gas was that I couldn’t recover from each hill. Yes, they were small, but they were a bit more relentless throughout than I remember. They didn’t seem to end until the last 10k when I had absolutely nothing left. My watch shows 700 feet of gain. I believe that’s pretty accurate after looking at the race’s Strava course. I didn’t train for any hills whatsoever and have been out of the ultra scene for quite some time, so the hills were a major challenge for me.
Nowhere to change at the finish, at least I couldn’t find a place. Someone said there were tents but nothing private at all, so I might have just not seen them? I ended up finding a corner in front of the Capitol building and using the throw away jacket to cover me while I changed so I didn’t freeze sitting around at the finish.
Pace groups are love/hate for me. I’m not a fan of running with them because I like to go with my own pacing. There were so many of them interspersed throughout that there were huge clumps at aid stations, Since aid was only on one side of the road, I missed a few stations because it was just so darn crowded.
Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about the CIM Marathon?
Not so much weird but really cool – the pace groups were all 3 minutes faster than the BQ standards. So the 3:05 pace group was actually 3:02, since they know you actually have to be about 2.5 minutes faster than the BQ standard to actually get in because of how Boston accepts the fastest qualifiers first. Another reason I believe this race is put on by runners, for runners.
I also saw a runner running back towards the start about 1/4 mile into the race, not even looking distressed. Where was she going? Why back to the start? Had she just gotten to the start and needed to cross the starting line? This kept my mind occupied for at least a good mile.
Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?
Plenty of porta potties at the start + arriving with plenty of time before the start = successful pre-race poo with no stress about using the bathroom before the race and no GI stress on the course. Win!
Again, the mental game mentioned above. I could have easily slowed down even more and had a nice little pity party. Instead, I resolved to just make it to the next mile, and then the next, and then the next. I told myself to keep my form, keep the feet moving, and I’d get there sooner instead of walking or slowing way down.
Pre-race fueling. I’ve had some major GI stress on long runs and during races lately, so I followed the lead of another runner, Dan L, and stuck to super plain food the 36 hours leading up to the race. No big salads, no bowls of broccoli or fruit, just plain pasta and minimal “clean the house” foods. It served me well, as I had no hint of GI issues along the way, even with eating 4 GUs throughout.
Lessons Learned – Share your pro-tips on the CIM Marathon course to help the next runner or yourself on the next time around?
Train with rolling hills. I trained with just flat long runs and could have used some rolling hills and likely higher mileage for this one. Leg strength just wasn’t there from the start. Out of the 5 runners we had in this race, the two that PRd and did the best were the two that mainly trained for ultras the first 6-8 months of the year, with high mileage, and then switched over to marathon specific training. The 3 of us that struggled tend to only run flat stuff.
It’s a crowded course from start to finish. There were ~11,000 registered runners and over 7,000 ran, so it was crowded throughout. I unfortunately got stuck behind a pacing group for most of the run and it was a cluster at each aid station. I ended up missing a few aid stations that were shorter in length than others.
Not sure if this is every year, but the aid stations were only on the right side of the road, and they weren’t all the same “length.” I was expecting both sides so I missed the first aid station and missed a couple short ones because of being caught in a pace group and the aid station was just two tables long.
Most important course specific knowledge to know about the CIM marathon?
It’s not flat! See above. Train for rolling hills with flat to end the race so you have some legs left for that final, flat and fast 10k.
Also, there are tight turns in the first mile, and the last (and a few throughout, but you notice the first and the last). With such a crowded start, be aware of that first turn. In the final turn, they split up the women’s and men’s finish line, with women turning first. I’m guessing to highlight the women top finishers and olympic qualifiers???
Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
Super well organized and very well run. One of the runners on the team stayed in a sponsored hotel and was signed up for a shuttle, but the shuttle was a no-show (!!!). He ended up ubering to the start with a couple other runners and having to run 2 miles to the start. What a mess! The race has already given him free entry to next year’s race, so they understand how crappy that situation was and have already tried to make up for it.
Logistics – Anything special regarding getting to/from the race, hotels around the course, registration…?
The race sells out by ~September/October, so sign up early
Fly into Sacramento, rent a car, and lots of lodging options to stay near the start, the finish, or anywhere in between.
Race-sponsored hotels were all sold out pretty fast, so book those early, as shuttles pick up at those
Expo was open all day Friday so we just got that done after arriving Friday (it’s in Sacramento), then headed out to our Airbnb near Folsom (the start)
If you’re into Ultras, the Western States 100 lottery drawing is on Saturday in Auburn. That’s just 25 minutes from Folsom, and if you’re in the lottery, you get a wild card ticket for being there in person (all of us went to the lottery that Saturday, kinda cool!)
We stayed near the start in an Airbnb in Folsom and drove to the North entrance of the course for the start, even though we were closer to the South entrance. This was on a guess that the other entrance would have less traffic, and we were right. We got there easily with plenty of time and minimal walking to the start. Only thing that sucks about staying at the start is driving back afterwards.
Weather and typical race conditions
Typically 40s-50s, maybe light rain or mist, but usually great weather. We had quite possibly the most perfect weather for this course, but I know past years have had rain and wind. Odds for good weather are a hell of a lot better than Seattle in December though!
I thought of this guy a lot while I was out there, missing him but still enjoying my “alone” time
Spectators – Is the CIM marathon a friendly course for your friends?
It is. The race gives a few suggestions for them to go and cheer, and they basically follow the roads along the way since it’s point to point. Parking is fairly easy along the way, mainly on neighborhood streets. It’s more difficult to find parking downtown at the finish since so many other people are there too. Plenty of Starbucks for crew along the way too 🙂
Not great for spectators to be at the start, though it is possible. It’s so well supported though with porta potties and a bag drop right before the start, that it’s not necessary to have someone at the start.
How’s the swag?
Fantastic! Long sleeve half-zip technical shirt with a simple logo, socks, a little fuel waist belt that I’m totally digging for either running or a travel fanny pack, and a throw away jacket at the finish that was oh so warm and wonderful to wear rather than a mylar blanket. I’m always freezing at the finish, and this kept me warm so much longer while I waited for other runners at the finish line. And a medal, of course.
The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?
4 out of 5. If it didn’t have rolling hills, it would be perfect (for me). Had I done more course specific training, I’d probably be giving it 5 stars. It really is made for runners who want to run a PR and have a well-organized event, with the likelihood of good weather.
Planning for the California International Marathon? Get more info on the course and race reviews from our CIM intel page!
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Competition – Is there a strong field?
