California International Marathon

This is a fantastically run race with a course that can be very fast if you run it smart. Everyone will tell you that it's a fast course and they're right, but you have to run the first half somewhat conservatively. It's almost constant up-hill and downhill. None of the hills are big, but there are lots of rolling hills. You feel like superman coming down them, until it's time to go back up the next one. Rinse and repeat, over and over again for 12-13 miles. Run uphill by effort and not by pace. After that, you can really dial in your pace and settle in. Aid stations were well-run, although it felt like they were 80% water and 20% electrolyte drink. I wish it were more balanced.

I flew in from halfway across the country on Saturday afternoon and headed straight to the expo. Packet pickup was smooth and easy. The expo was appropriately sized and there were enough vendors to provide any last minute essentials. I rode the bus from the expo back downtown and checked into my hotel. I picked out a restaurant to walk to and had dinner around 5:15 pm. Then it was straight back to the hotel to wind down for the night. I went to bed around 8 pm and woke up at 3:15 am. That gave me plenty of time to walk to the bus pickup point. Buses start loading around 4:15 am.

If you have a car or can be dropped off by someone, stay in Folsom and get dropped off at one of the bus pickup points there. It allows you to get an extra hour of sleep in the morning.

CIM is the greatest race. Sacramento is accessible and low key to host the race. Hotels arent expensive...The point to point course is awesome. The logistics and organization were great. hundreds of porto pots at the start. They literally give out the best race swag by far. Lots of cool items like socks, crossbody bag, towels, quarter zips, ...etc...No shortage of cool gear. The Asics sponsored CIM gear is awesome too. I chose VIP and it was worth every penny. The tour bus we took to the start had a bathroom on it. I loved everything about this race. The temperature was EXACTLY as advertised as funny as that is to say. It was 41 degrees, NO wind, and foggy. No sun for the entire 2 hours and 52 minutes of my race. there were huge crowds to run with. Tons of fast runners. I ran an 8 minute PR and the whole thing was a beautiful dream to qualify for Boston.

Expect to have a great race.

I paid for VIP and it was worth every penny. Make sure you make dinner reservations long before you travel. Book your hotel room 10-12 months from race date as well!

This is a fast course. I agree with many that CIM is the best race for BQ and PR. The stat speaks for itself. Some people may talk about the rolling hills of the first half. I didn't notice any uphill in the first half. True that I noticed the uphill of the bridge somewhere after mile 20. But it is a small one. Not a big deal. The 2023 weather was awesome. It can rain in this time of the year.

Many people recommend staying in the Sacramento downtown. But I'm happy that I stayed in Foltham, near the start line. I could sleep longer there. There is a Whole Foods Market., so I knew what to get. There is a Costco store, so I could top up gasoline. What else do I need the night before the race day?

Very well organized and managed. Excellent support stations. Lovely fall colors make up for the middle long strip mall stretches down Fair Oaks Blvd. Finishing at the Capitol is very scenic and inspiring. Big expo.

If you're used to small/medium races, this is a big one, which means a huge crowd at the start and lots of people on the course. Just go with the flow. Lots of strong runners at many different paces. We had an excellent pacer (for 3:45). Had good weather (cool, broken clouds) but of course Dec. is a gamble for rain. Terrain is pretty much a non-factor, though hitting the slope of the J Street bridge at mi 22 triggered a calf cramp for me. (Next time: more bent-knee calf raises to work those soleuses!)

Stayed in Folsom at the lovely Lake Natoma Inn (then my wife drove herself to Sac). Would have been worth coming a day early to enjoy the grounds and surrounds. No, it is not easily walkable from the Inn to the start; there was an official shuttle bus from the Inn.

The line for the BQ bell is super long, haha!

2022 race had rain forecast.. but rain largely stayed away just between the marathon start and finish... High humidity, but low temp ensured no impact to race strategy. Excellent course support throughout the race with lots of supporters on either side cheering runners on. Course has lots of rolling hills.. even though you only accumulate 600 odd feet gain thru the race, this can be a problem for some looking for a flat or downhill course. Race doesn't have waved starts, so you get a crowded race through out the 26.2miles.. which is personally great.. Running amidst constant company. Highly recommend this race

Maintain an even effort throughout the race. Dont put money in the bank.. never works. Rolling hills will take a bit of thought to deal with.. Vary strides and help legs stay fresh so you can leverage the flat finish. Prepare for an occasional rain/drizzle..

Staying in Folsom got us extra 30-40min sleep. We stayed in the cluster of hotels (Courtyard Marriott, Hampton Inn etc) near Whole Foods (Bus location D).. hotels were relatively cheap and nicer and lots of good sit down places to eat and carbload the prev night

Excellent race. Well organized, beautiful scenery, great volunteer and crowd support. Fast course!

Don't let the early downhills get you carried away.

Book hotels early. If you're coming with family, book in downtown Sacramento or nearby. Try to stay the night after the race. The check out on race day procedure can be a logistical nightmare.

I absolutely loved everything about this race. From the expo to the race support, everything was on point, including the weather! This is without a doubt the best marathon I've ever run, and definitely recommend to anyone who wants to run a fantastic course with great support!

If you prepare for this race, you can do well! The course is fair..you do need to train on hills for sure but the downhills balance them out. Definitely hold back at the beginning and work your way up from there. You'll be glad you did during the last 10k, which is essentially flat but your legs will start missing the downhills. If you like to run with pacers don’t hesitate, they are some of the best!

Definitely stay in the downtown Sacramento area. You can literally walk to everything, including the expo and bus pickup area. Lots of amazing restaurants to choose from.

Fast course with lots of first-time and repeat runners. It is NOT scenic, however, except for a few miles through the country and in Sacramento.

It may be an "easy" marathon, but it is still a marathon and, while it is net downhill, it still has hills! So do not be deceived thinking it will be no big deal.

I stayed in Folsom the night before and recommend it - it cuts down on the travel time to the start in the morning.

Once we got over the bus fiasco to drive to Folsom, everything else was seamless. You self seed, so it was a bit chaotic getting to the corrals. Most people seemed to run with pacers. They're great, all very professional. The race starts downhill, so you're feeling good and pumped with the adrenaline going. This is the time to hold back, relax into the race, even if you feel like you're jogging. After the first .75 or so, you begin the cycle of gently rolling hills. I say gently because as you go up, you go down equally, and if you're strong, you'll still feel good through at least mile 16, which is when you reach a longer hill and a noticeable climb. The goal is to stay easy and relaxed as you make your way through 18 and continuing with the rolling hills. They call mile 20 "The Wall" but it's not that bad. Not until you reach mile 21, and then you start climbing into a little bridge, that is not by any means hard on a regular day, but feels monstrous after you’ve been running for 21 plus miles. Upon ascending the bridge you are still climbing until mile 23. So I've read review that the race is downhill after 23. IT IS NOT. You are so tired from the rollers that although it flattens out, you do not feel any relief whatsoever. This is where you have to fight for every single remaining mile. You will need all of that energy you conserved before for the last few miles. The finish was great into the Capital! This was my biggest PR to date. But I had to fight for it tooth and nail at the end!

Expect cool temps in the 30s. But it quickly warms up. Pace conservatively at the start to avoid burnout. The course is not a net down hill at the end.

Stayed at the Sheraton Sacramento downtown. Hands down great place to stay. The expo is right around the corner!

Loved the buses before hand and can stay on the bus until race starts. The course was nice but hilly. Tons of info and tips on the internet. Water stations were plenty and crowds were great through most of the race.

Coming from the Midwest I was surprised how hilly the miles were. Almost every mile has an up right up to mile 20. I stayed with the 4 hour pacers up until mile 18. They were on pace my legs just gave up. I would run more hills to prepare.

We stayed at a hotel right at the finish line which was great to just walk back. We did have a hard time finding gluten free foods before the race to eat.

Great weather! The early start time helps with keeping it cooler. Awesome medal and shirt as well.

Train with hills. While I enjoyed the rolling hills, they did beat my legs up a little bit which caught up to me at the end.

Race is extremely well organized. Course has plenty of support throughout, and the atmosphere is good throughout the entire race. There are plenty of aid stations, well marked, and great rolling hills to a flat finish.

Rolling hills through first 18 miles and then flat to the finish. If you train on hills, the rolling hills will be no problem.

I agree with the recent commentary (2018) about the rolling hills - I train on hills where I live so I know how to run them. However, I was not expecting the constant up and down "rolling hills" for the first 18 miles. I ran with a pacing group which means even pacing. In hindsight, I should have paced myself and gone out a little bit slower so I could have some juice after the first 18 miles of rolling hills to finish stronger. With that said, my finishing time was good despite the hills BUT I did not qualify for Boston due to my pacing strategy errors. I achieved my BQ time in September on a flatter course but I was one of those 7,000 who met their BQ time but did not get into Boston for 2019 because our times were not fast enough.

Busing issues at the start -
I also waited for the bus pick up in the East Sacramento - Exposition area - the buses were an hour late! Several hundred of us waited in the cold and finally the busses showed up. This meant we showed up at the start with only about 35 minutes to spare. However, I have never seen so many porta-potties at a start of a marathon. The volunteers were amazing - over 4,000 volunteers! On Saturday, the pacers gave a presentation on the race and what to expect. The race organizers know what they are doing and the Sacramento Running Association is phenomenal. Just do not think that this is a flat and fast course!

Use a negative split strategy because of the hills in the beginning.

I stayed on the East side of Sacramento which had the busing issue. I would probably stay close to downtown which is close to the bus shuttles. I flew into Sacramento on Friday evening and the drive from the airport to Sacramento is long and it was dark. The expo is one of the best for a marathon.

Net loss in elevation, gradual hills, great support from people in the area. Start at Fulsom Dam and finished in front of the State Capital building. Bus transportation to the starting line is provided from several points.

More of the hills in the first half, with very few in the final five miles

Sacramento hotels sell out fast. Parking throughout the capital area is free on race weekend.

If you are looking to run a marathon with a lot of excitement and perks, then CIM may be the one. If you are looking to run a marathon with a flat and fast course, then CIM is not the race for you. The first 18 miles are rolling hills - per the words of my pacer - for every downhill, there will be an uphill. The net elevation drop is very misleading. Compare the course elevation on this site with the course at the Erie Marathon and you will see what I mean.

I usually run a negative split and should have stuck with that strategy but I decided to go with a pacing group because the race was promoted as flat and fast. The pacer runs even pace the entire race. So I was right on pace until around mile 18 when I hit the wall. Because of the 18 miles of rolling hills, my legs were shot. Now I live in upstate New York where I train on hills everyday. However, you need to go out slower on this course and save your legs for the end.

Logistics - the busses were late at the east pick up point near the Expo grounds. Over an hour late. At least 400 of us stood outside in cold temperatures waiting for the busses to come. Since they arrived late, we arrived at the starting area with only about 40 minutes to spare. Lots of porta potties at the start - the most I have ever seen at a marathon of this size. No mandatory corrals - line up where you would like to line up. Lots of fans along the way and over 4,000 volunteers!

I would recommend staying at a downtown hotel because you can get on the bus later rather than earlier. Many well-stocked aid stations.

Negative split pacing strategy works best. Course is very nice. Expect a lot of people at the start. You can not really drive to the start.

Stay downtown in Sacramento. Give yourself at least a day to acclimate to the change in time if you are coming from the East coast.

Very well organized and supported. I loved the set up at the end of the race with easy access to bathrooms, med tents, gear bag retrieval and food. The course was beautiful, well supported by spectators and aid stations, and well mapped out. The expo was excellent.

Don't start too fast since it's a net downhill or you won't have anything left at mile 20ish. The race is very well organized so just get to the buses and get in line on time and the rest of it is nothing to worry or stress about.

The hotels on the website are well priced, clean and good service. Parking downtown Sacramento is a bit expensive so try to carpool and come early race day morning to find a spot. A lot of the hotels nearby let racers stand in their lobbies to keep warm and use their restrooms while waiting to board the buses.

I ran CIM in 2017 and then again in 2018. I love this race! The logistics are amazing. Being able to stay on the warm bus is wonderful, because it is chilly at the start line. There are endless port o potties at the start line too, which is amazing! I do think this race is falsely advertised though. It is fast and it technically is downhill, BUT there are some pretty decent rolling hills up until mile 21. If you go into this race thinking it is downhill and run the first half too fast, you will be doomed. The last 10K is NOT this epic downhill to the finish. It is more flat than downhill, which really destroyed my legs after 21 miles of hills, when I ran it for the first time in 2017. I wanted to try again for another BQ in 2018, and my racing strategy was way different: HOLD BACK more than you think you should in this race. IT IS NOT A DOWNHILL, fast race. It CAN be if you hold back the first half and don't obliterate your legs. I took off 7 minutes from my time from 2017 to 2018 because I ran extra conservatively the first half, and had a huge negative split, because I saved my legs for the last bit that is flat. Miles 21-26.2 is fast and flat if you have saved your legs.

This is my favorite marathon hands downs, but run SMART and train on LOTS OF HILLS. Do not be deceived by the profile description saying "downhill"....Do lots of hills, hold back a lot in the first half and slowly speed up like a progression run in this race and you will kill it! You will see other people running like a bat out of hell down the start line because it is downhill, and you will also see people early on going WAY too fast on the uphills at the beginning, not knowing that there are 21 miles of hills ahead. Do not give in and start surging up the hills early on. You will pay for it. That's what I did in 2017 and was on track for a great time and by the time it flattened out I had nothing left to give to speed up. 2018 I crushed the course because I knew how many hills there were and I remained patient! LOVE THIS RACE! Race smart and Good luck!

I love staying at the Embassy Suites right by the Riverfront. Amazing hotel.

The staff are extra accommodating for runners. It is about a mile walk from the finish line, but right around the corner from one of the bus pick up spots. After the race the walk back might seem daunting, but it actually good to walk a little to flush out your legs. I highly recommend this hotel!

Overall the course and support were good and the scenery was good. It is a pretty hilly course and the two time I ran it my quads got fried! The one thing I didn't like was the finish. They separate women's and men's finishes, but they weren't clearly marked, so I crossed the wrong finish. Also, all of the after run food is after you mix with the general public so you have to battle throngs of non-runners to try to find some food. This year is was breakfast sandwiches which I couldn't eat. Typical fruit and light snack bars would have much more appreciated. Aside from that, a good course. The first time I ran it I qualified for Boston!!

Definitely do not go out too fast. I thought I was doing ok the when I ran it this year but had fried quads after mile 15. That was mostly due to poor training, but still, the hills are not to be taken lightly!!

The California International Marathon is a great race. From the expo to the start and finish line, everything about this race is organized with precision. I love that CIM is working to make the race more sustainable, which means less waste into our landfills. Great job on getting gold-level certified by the counsel for responsible sports, for sustainability practices.

Pretty good organization, though a couple notable misses ( the gear drop off trucks were stupid - no sign for bag number range, both trucks parked beside each other, no line control to make an obvious in and out side. C'mon, these things are simple ) . They could also use some helpers / monitors for the bus loading. Site B was pretty chaotic.

I did like the music along the route, and the water and fueling stations were abundant and well stocked/staffed.

It is a pretty rolling course. No big hills, but enough rollers that you might be surprised.

From the East Bay taking the train ( Amtrak Capitol Corridor ) is an awesome option. Much nicer than driving, especially on the way home.

Great organization and great course. I loved the rolling hills and the wide roads. The crowds at the finish were helpful as well.

I would be careful and not go out too fast. The rolling hills through mile 16 can otherwise take their toll on your quads.

Get ready to have your quads beat up. Nice course, great weather, good support.

Liked everything - weather, crowds, nutrition.

Everyone in my group hit the wall at 20 miles. Will have to strengthen the leg muscles to overcome the wall.

Looking for the fastest marathon course? This may not be the right fit for you. Don't be fooled by the claim of "slight downhill" course. It is a rolling course that really doesn't have any flats. That means you are either going up or down during the entire run. Even though I did PR there, it probable had more to do with the weather (which was absolutely perfect!) and the fact that it was only my 3rd full marathon. The race organizers did a great job and the facilities are good too! I paid extra for the VIP package which was worth it for me. The pacer group I ran with was professional and accurate and managed the course properly. Since almost every runner is there to BQ, you won't be held up by slower runners in front of you, the flow moves nicely.

Even pacing should work just fine. Maybe a slight negative split since the course does "flatten" out a bit in the second half.

Great course, net downhill, but a few small hills spaced throughout the race. The last 4 miles are flat and really cool. Lots of people cheering you on. The finish in front of the state capital is stunning.

Take it easy the first mile. It is almost all downhill and fast without trying.

It can be very cold, rainy, or both. On about half the races, the weather is ideal, but prepare for anything.

Loved: Social media build up pre race, clear communications, great informative website, expo, logistics, course, support by locals, volunteers, aid stations, post race set up. The availability of Kleenex was such a small gesture, but so meaningful. I was surprised how much I valued the ability to easily blow my nose! :)

Dislikes: There could have been more porta potties at water points. The lines were crazy. Have more music on the course - blasting your favorite CD would be the best! There should be a rule that prohibits running with candy jiggling around in a water bottle, super annoying sound!

First timers get told that this course is fast and they assume its flat. The course is undulating with a NETT downhill. First timers should pay attention!

Try to get accommodation within walking distance to the finish.

Restaurant recco - South (on Yelp) is an awesome restaurant, with amazing southern food options. The owner works the kitchen and pays attention to customers.

Schedule a massage at Mellow Me Out (Yelp) post marathon. Their Kool Kat special was awesome.

Ideal running weather, lots of downhill, spectators along most of course, beautiful finisher medal, free shuttle to start line, many restaurants downtown, and virtual goodie bag which includes discount for following year's event.

Cool start, but warms up fairly quickly. Strongly recommend using pacers. They are very punctual.

Park downtown (street parking or parking garages) and take shuttle to start. You will be allowed to sit in bus until 15 minutes before race starts.

Well run and great organization. Hillier than I thought the first 13.1 but then nice gentle downhill.

Do not rely on the water tables. I came through 2 of them and they did not have any water or nuun to pass out. So I would carry a bottle if you are trying for a PR

Don't underestimate the rolling hills!!

There are not enough bathrooms!

Great course & support.

Plan on cold or windy weather.

We stayed at a host hotel downtown and rode the bus to the start. Then walked back to the hotel after finishing.

I especially love the blind runners.

People who run it the first time are surprised by the rolling hills at the beginning of the race.

Many nearby hotels in downtown Sacramento. Stay downtown, where the race ends and take the bus to the starting line.

Rolling hills the first 5 or 6 miles. Then slow drop. Good participation for viewers.

The course is very fast
Nicely organized

Best strategy is negative splits and be patient in the first 10 miles

Perfect weather. Fast course. Great pacers.

Hyatt Hotel location was nice & close to the finish.

Excellent course, lots of support along the way.

If you don't want to take the bus to the drop off location, it's easy to have a family member or friend drop you off instead. Just come a little early to beat traffic.

From the getting onto the buses to the starting line to each and every mile this marathon was awesome....

Find your pace team and stick with them as they are that good.

Plenty of street parking near the Sacramento Convention Center if you get there around 4:00am and they do fill up rather quickly as the buses depart at 5:00am.

Very well organized, lots of energy from volunteers, as well as the residents of the areas through which you run. Mostly flat, and the Finish at the Capitol Building, all decorated for the holidays, is SUCH a beautiful sight!

Lots of porta potties at the start, and plenty along the way. The website has a lot of info for spectators, like where they can intersect the course, so my husband and daughter were able to meet me at four distinct places along the route -- the only thing that didn't go smoothly, was that the info provided for spectators online was for an earlier iteration of the race, so one meetup point didn't work out. We gave the feedback to the organizers, so I'm not sure if they've fixed it online.

The Finish is in Sacramento, the Start is in Folsom. A lot of folks seem to get hotels in Folsom, but we got a room in Sacramento, near the Finish. Yes, the morning drive was nearly 30 min, but there was nearly zero traffic at that early hour, and it was so convenient to have a shower near the Finish. I think I'd do the same thing, again.

Perfect weather, good course, great organization.

I ran the first 10K too fast. If you pace correctly, you can race the last 10K on this course.

Great runner support, from the Expo to the busses, from the rolling course to the crowds. And to finish running toward the Capitol is a great view.

The downhill start can be tough on the quads. Start slow and negative split

Pick a hotel near the finish. Fun finish festival with beer, food, music

The point to point course is rolling with a gentle downhill. This allows your body to adjust to the different use of muscles rather than using the same ones on a flat or all downhill or uphill course. The weather is cool. Although it does rain.

This course allow a pretty even pace. CIM has expert pacers many have done this at the race for a long time. Some are known race champions. I ran the race in 2010 & 2011 PR 1st time 7 seconds slower second time. 2012 it rained cats and dogs but folks still seemed to have good times. I was injured.

Sacramento is pretty in the December it is fall there. Stay near the American River Bike Trail. You will need a rental car.