(Last UPDATED 12/1/2023) The 2023 California International Marathon will take place on Sunday, December 3. The race starts at Auburn-Folsom Road next to Folsom Dam and ends at the State Capitol.
Original Post
Sunday was a great day for the participants and spectators of the 34th Annual California International Marathon (CIM). The sky was blue, the sun was shining, and many trees were sporting fall foliage. While there was a nip in the air, you could not ask for a nicer day for this annual event.
About CIM
The CIM is sponsored by the Sacramento Running Association. The 26.2 mile point-to-point course begins at Folsom Dam (elevation level 366 feet) and ends at the State Capitol (elevation level 26 feet). The course runs through Folsom, Orangevale, Citrus Heights, Fair Oaks, Carmichael and Sacramento. The race course remains unchanged since the first race was held in 1983.
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The CIM is popular with both runners and marathoners who participate both for fun and in order to help them qualify for the “big time”. The CIM has a reputation of being the #1 Boston Marathon qualifier.
Race Day
Like the “Run to Feed the Hungry” held on Thanksgiving Day in Sacramento, the CIM involves multiple road closures along the race course. See related post: Run to Feed the Hungry – A Sacramento Tradition.
Knowing in advance that several key surface streets in East Sacramento will be closed for five to six hours, I run errands in the days prior to the race, and plan activities that do not involve driving to destinations temporarily off-limits. This is just a fact of life when you live in East Sacramento.
Every year I think about how much fun it would be to get up early and make my way to the vicinity of the finish line near the State Capitol Building before the roads are closed. Every year – so far – having my coffee and reading the Sunday paper in the comfort of my home has won out.
One of these years I plan to organize a group of friends to gather in the vicinity of the finish line to share in the collective excitement.
This year, like previous years, I made my way to J Street to watch and cheer with other spectators as the runners race towards their ultimate goal. The spectators at this point are rather sparse (i.e. spread out) but they still are enthusiastic.
My dog Mickey was more in smelling mode than walking mode, so since I was on a mission I picked him up and carried him part of the way. He is under 12 pounds – but he can get heavy after a bit.
By the time the runners reach J Street they are getting close to the 25-mile mark and the finish line. Most runners have gotten their second wind and are in good spirits as they know they are almost there.
According to the Sacramento Running Association news release, a field of approximately 6,300 marathoners and 750 relay teams started the race with over 6,100 marathoners finishing.
To Sum Up
To sum up, big news for Sacramento and the Sacramento Area – the USA Track and Field Association has announced that the CIM will serve as the U.S. Marathon Championships in 2017 and 2018!
UPDATES
Road closures will impact multiple intersections along the course during the race including:
- Fair Oaks Blvd.
- J Street
- Alhambra Blvd.
- L Street
- Capital Mall
A complete list of road closure and re-opening times can be found at Sacramento Running Association.
Comments on the California International Marathon?
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