Surprise! CIM is Full! But you still might be able to get in.
You may still have a chance to get in!
By John Schumacher
The California International Marathon reached its 8,000-runner cap more than three months before the race and has closed general registration.
The race, founded by the Sacramento Running Association, has filled in each of the last five years. This year’s event, set for December 8th, hit its registration limit over the weekend.
But runners still have two ways to gain a spot in the field.
There are 300 charity entries available at $250 each, with 100 percent of the money going to the SRA’s youth fitness programs. Part of the entry fee ($120) is tax deductible.
Runners who meet the CIM’s time standards – five minutes slower than Boston Marathon qualifying times – are guaranteed entry during a registration window from Oct. 1-Oct. 15. The entry fee is $130.
Spots are still available in the CIM Relay. The entry fee for the four-person relay is $180; high school teams can enter for $50. The relay division cap is 1,000 teams.
The CIM has long enjoyed a reputation as a great race to earn a Boston Marathon qualifying time. The 26.2-mile test from Folsom to the state Capitol is slightly downhill, and weather conditions are normally cool enough to help produce fast times.
The race has doubled in size since 2005, when it featured 4,000 runners. The first CIM in 1983 had 1,600 entrants.