Below are your final race instructions. Please be sure to review all the details below for essential race weekend and race day information! Additional reminders will be posted on runCIM.org and on social media over these final few days. Thank you for choosing the California International Marathon and good luck on Sunday!
GREATEST HITS
Though we hope you read this entire email, as this is ALL very important information, here are the most important points that we want you to see:
NEW EXPO LOCATION: California Exposition & State Fair Grounds 1600 Exposition Boulevard Sacramento, CA 95815
You must show your government issued photo ID and QR code, located below, to receive your bib (and, if someone is picking up for you, be sure they have photos of both)
Reminder: No gear check at the start.
For security reasons, runners can NOT be dropped off near the start. All runners must take a bus or shuttle to the start
Runners can take any of our official race transportation options, your bib is your ticket to ride. Please Review
NEW FINISH LAYOUT! Please review the new finish chute layout on our website.
Questions about the greatest hits? Keep reading, the answers are likely below. If not, check the website for…the rest of the story.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5 12:00 pm – CIM Expo and Gear Check Drop-off open at the California Exposition & State Fair Grounds (New location this year) 7:00 pm – CIM Expo and Gear Check Drop-off close
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 8:00 am – Official Shake Out Run starting at DOCO 9:00 am – CIM Expo and Gear Check Drop-off open at the California Exposition & State Fair Grounds (New location this year) 5:00 pm – CIM Expo and Gear Check Drop-off close
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7
4:00 am – Gear Check opens behind the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center on K Street between 13th and 14th Street 4:30 am – Gear Check closes 4:30 am – Start Line Buses depart from location A 5:00 am – Start Line Buses depart from location B
5:00 – 5:30 am – Start Line Buses depart from locations C and D 5:15 – 6:15 am – Start Line Buses depart location E
7:00 am – Race start 8:00 am – Beer Garden and Finish Festival opens 10:30 am – Hotel Return Buses to Location B, C, and D begin running from Finish 1:30 pm – Finish Line closes 1:45 pm – Hotel Return Buses stop running 2:00 pm – Finish Festival and Gear Check pick-up closes
2025 CIM EVENT PROGRAM
The Sacramento Running Association continually strives to improve our sustainability efforts with all our events. This year we will again have a digital event program in an effort to reduce the amount of paper and waste produced by the California International Marathon. Take a look!
EXPO AND BIB INFORMATION
NEW EXPO LOCATION:
California Exposition & State Fair Grounds 1600 Exposition Boulevard Sacramento, CA 95815
Friday, December 5 – 12pm-7pm Saturday, December 6 – 9am-5pm Parking
Enter Cal Expo on Challenge Road (across from Starbucks) at the Blue Gate, Proceed to Lots C and D, Walk through Main Entrance Gate, Buildings A and B
Getting to the Expo Participants are encouraged to use the free parking available in Lots C & D via the Blue Gate, or utilize rideshare services to the Main Entrance Gate. Limited Shuttle buses will also operate continuously throughout expo hours on Friday and Saturday, transporting runners between the Safe Credit Union Convention Center and the CIM Expo (California Exposition and State Fair).
General Marathon Packet Pick-Up: Bib numbers will be dynamically assigned in the marathon packet area. You will need your QR Code to have your bib assigned as well as your photo ID.
VIP Packet Pick-Up: VIP Packet Pick-Up will be at the VIP Desk – look for the red carpet! VIPs will not need their QR codes.
Seeded Start (Sub-Elite): You will find your bib at the Seeded Desk, right next to VIP. You will not need your QR code but you will need a photo ID.
Elite Packet Pick-up: Elite runners will receive their race week information from the Elite Director.
You may have someone else pick up your packet for you. The person picking up on your behalf will need:
Copy of your government issued photo ID
Your QR Code
Both images can be on their phone, no need to print.
Please be kind to your friend and supply them with the proper tools to pick up your bib. If they do not have all the above, they will be turned away.
SOLUTIONS DESK AND INFO BOOTH
The Marathon Solutions Desk will be located just to the right of the marathon packet pick-up tables and is the place to go to update registration information (i.e. name spelled wrong, wrong birthdate, wrong gender…) and resolve any other registration questions.
For all other questions (i.e. busing questions, directions, gear check info…), the Info Booth will be located to the left as you enter the Expo, past the packet pick-up area, inside the RunLab.
RUNNER TRACKING
The 2025 California International Marathon is featuring the latest in real-time race tracking by providing Live Results via our partner RTRT.me.
Live Web Tracker – See times and current pace within seconds of a participant crossing each split point. Estimated times will be provided based on current pace.
Live Map Tracking – Participant locations will be plotted on the interactive course map as progress is made on course. The position of each participant is estimated based on the most recent timing received from the bib read. NOTE: Participants do not need to carry their phones for this feature to work.
Mobile App – Features include Live Participant Tracking, Push Notifications, Leaderboards, and Map Tracking
Detailed Unofficial CIM results will be available on MyRace as runners finish on race morning.
LIVE COVERAGE
Live broadcasting of the USATF Marathon Championship will be available on USATF.tv starting at 6:55 AM (PST). The Mass CIM Finish Livestream will be available on Youtube starting around 10:00 AM (PST) and ending at 1:30 PM (PST). The Mass 35k Livestream will be available on Youtube starting around 9:45 AM (PST) and ending at 12:30 PM (PST).
OFFICIAL MERCHANDISE – PRESENTED BY ASICS
We are excited for you to see our official merchandise booth with our official shoe and apparel partner – ASICS. Visit the ASICS booth, just past the packet pick-up area at the expo and also at the finish line.
OFFICIAL SHAKE OUT RUN
Join us Saturday, December 6 at 8:00 a.m. before the Expo for a quick shakeout run, located at the DOCO, 405 K Street, Sacramento . Click here for more information.
OS1st is the Official and Exclusive Sock and Compression Sponsor of the California International Marathon – Get your own free pair of socks at the Official Shake Out Run! While supplies last.
RUNNER MEDICAL INFO
Sutter Health is the official Sports Medicine Partner of the California International Marathon. They are partnering with RaceSafe to create a standard of care and safety for our running community! RaceSafe software provides quick, secure access to our athletes’ health profiles to direct better care. To ensure maximum safety on race day, we strongly recommend that you provide health information to our Sutter Health CIM medical team in advance. This will help the medical team promptly care for you in an emergency. Please follow the link below to complete a brief medical form through RaceSafe. Thank you for helping our team provide our athletes with the best safety and care.
Runners are not permitted to be dropped off near the Start Line. All runners must take one of the provided buses to the Start Area. Be sure to know which bus you plan to use before race day.
Downtown Buses (Location A)
Downtown busesleave from Location A behind the Sacramento Convention Center at 4:30am
If leaving a car near the finish line before loading buses at Location A, we recommend reserving parking through SacPark
Point West Area Buses (Location B)
Partner hotel buses leave from Location B in Point West area from Tribute Rd, Hilton, and Doubletree Hotels at 5:00am
Folsom Buses (Location C and D)
Shuttles leave from Location C at Century Movie Theaters/Folsom Outlets at Iron Point Rd and Folsom Blvd between 5:00 and 5:30am
Shuttles leave from Location D at Sam’s Club on Iron Point Rd and East Bidwell between 5:00 and 5:30am
Buses will be provided for hotel guests only at the Lake Natoma Inn in Folsom at 5:30am
Granite Bay Buses (Location E)
Shuttles leave from Location E at Raley’s at Douglas Blvd and Auburn-Folsom Rd between 5:15am and 6:15am
Return buses are available after the race from finish area on N St between 9th and 10th Streets back to locations B, C, and D
THERE ARE NO GEAR CHECK SERVICES OFFERED AT THE START LINE. Gear check services are available during operating hours at the CIM Expo and at Bus Location A on race morning.
Gear Check Drop Off operating hours at the CIM Expo (Cal Exposition and State Fair Grounds):
Friday, December 5 at the CIM Expo – Between 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Saturday, December 6 at the CIM Expo – Between 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday, December 7 at Bus Pick-up Location A, behind the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center on K Street between 13th Street and 14th Street – Between 4:00 am – 4:30 am
Retrieving Gear Bags After the Race in the CIM Finish Area (9th Street):
Sunday, December 7 at the Finish Area – Between 9:30am-2:00pm
Bags will be transported to the finish area for easy pick-up by participants.
SELF-SEEDED START STAGING AREAS
There are multiple entrances to the Start Staging Areas available to runners, sorted by your expected finish time; these are NOT assigned corrals. Please review the self-seeded start corral staging schedule here and on race day line up in the appropriate pace range so you and all of your fellow runners will have a fair start and a chance to perform your best.
FUELING AND HYDRATION
Precision Fuel & Hydration is back as the Official Fuel and Hydration Partner of the California International Marathon.To help you nail your fuel and hydration strategy, you’ll find Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix and water—in that order—at all 17 aid stations. Plus, you’ll be able to pick up PF 30 Gels, PF 30 Caffeine Gels, and PF 30 Chews from the three Fuel Stations at 6.4, 13.6 and 21.4 miles. Do you still need some last-minute help to dial in your race nutrition plan for CIM?
If you haven’t already, use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner to get a personalized race nutrition strategy for CIM.
Book a Sweat Test – everyone loses a different amount of sodium in their sweat, so there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all hydration strategy. Get a Sweat Test at the Expo to find out exactly how salty your sweat is to help refine your hydration needs.
Head over to the Expo to ask any last-minute questions you have about how to fuel and hydration your marathon, and you’ll be able to pick up the fuel and electrolytes that you want to carry with you from the start of your marathon.
Click HERE for more on-course fueling and hydration information.Be kind to the beautiful neighborhoods we are running through. Please discard your trash in trash cans provided at each aid station and not the ground. If you miss the last can at an aid station, hold on to your trash until the next aid station.
WEATHER FORECAST
The current weather forecast calls for the morning low at the Start Line in Folsom to be in the low 40s, with highs at the Finish Line in Sacramento in the high 50s. Check the weather conditions before you leave your hotel room on race morning. Here are some race day tips that apply regardless of the weather:
Dress in layers! You can always shed unwanted clothing at the start line and the first two aid stations. Look for the volunteers waving the “Throw Me Your Clothes” signs. Do not litter the streets with unwanted clothing as we have designated bins. Clothes shed at the start and on the course will be donated to a non-profit – you will NOT get them back.
Wear your bib on your outermost layer. Timing chips covered by clothing may not work effectively.
SPECTATOR INFORMATION
Click HERE to view the spectator information page-and then send the link to all your adoring fans! This page has information on parking tips, directions to the best spectator locations and the course entertainment list.
The road closure schedule can be viewed by clicking HERE. For up-to-date road closure information and closure avoidance we recommend using the WAZE app who have partnered with the California International Marathon.
Remind your fans to get downtown early and allow ample time to park and enter the finish area in time to see you finish.
The Finish Festival will open to the public at 8:00 am on race day. All Finish Festival attendees are required to pass through one of two designated Security Checkpoints on N Street and 9th or 10th Streets. All bags are subject to inspection by Security Checkpoint staff.
The best place to have your fans watch your finish is from the bleachers on Capitol Mall right next to the finish line at 7th Street. Spectators and runners can reunite after the race at the alphabetical overhead signs in the Official Runner Reunion Zone on the Capital Mall median between 8th and 9th streets.
As you approach the CIM finish, please note the NEW finish approach: all mass marathon and relay leg-2 runners will now follow L Street → left on 8th Street → RIGHT onto Capitol Mall to reach the NEW Mass Finish at 7th & Capitol Mall.
After finishing, you’ll move through the Finisher Controlled Zone to receive your medal, hydration, snacks, and other finisher gifts. You can reunite with family and friends under the overhead alphabetical signs in the Official Runner Reunion Area on the Capital Mall median between 8th and 9th Streets. Gear Check pickup will be located at 9th Street & Capitol Mall.
FINISH FESTIVAL
After exiting the Finisher Controlled Zone and reuniting with family and friends, finishers can head to the finish festival in front of the State Capitol building on 10th Street and redeem their free Baja Fresh burrito and complimentary Firestone Walker beer inside the Post Race Party Zone. This area also includes popular photo ops such as the BQ Bell and 26.2 displays, merchandise at the Fleet Feet & ASICS tent, and a shirt swap station for exchanging your race shirt size if needed.
Also note, the ONLY entrances and exits to the finish festival are from the south on N Street and 9th or 10th Street. There is NO access to enter or exit the finish area from the north and NO access to cross the course along L Street. Plan yours and your spectators’ parking, entrance, and exit plan accordingly.
Runners staying at partner hotels in Point West or Folsom can board return buses on N Street between 9th and 10th from 10:30 a.m.–1:45 p.m., and all rideshare and runner pick-up must occur at Roosevelt Park 2 blocks south of the finish area.
MARATHON FOTO
Smile! MarathonFoto will be there to photograph your accomplishments on race day. Be sure to have your bib visible and keep an eye out for our photographers in the bright colored vests along the course!
To make sure you have the best race day photos please follow these tips:
Make sure your bib is on the outmost layer of clothing
Make sure your bib is on the front of your body
If we can’t see your bib, you won’t see your photos
Having second thoughts about the shirt size you selected? Not a problem! Unworn participant shirts can be swapped at the swap booth, located in the finish area near the merchandise booth, while supplies last.
BEER GARDEN – PRESENTED BY Firestone Walker Brewing Company
Celebrate your finish in a premium beer garden after the race. Beers available will include: 805, Cali Squeeze Blood Orange Hefewiezen and Mind Haze IPA, 8ZERO5 (non-alcoholic).
*Must have a valid ID to enter the beer garden.
FUN EXTRAS
INSPIRE A BREAKTHORUGH
Need an extra push to get through “The Wall” at mile 17?
Send in a special message, quote, or photo to yourself or a loved one and we’ll put it up on the Breakthrough Zone big screen!
These messages will be displayed, at random, to thousands of runners powering through one of the most challenging points of the CIM course.
The California International Marathon and the Sacramento Running Association have an active presence on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. We encourage all of you to engage with us and other runners using your own social media accounts.
Official Twitter Hashtags: #runCIM #CIM40 #road2CIM – use these in all of your tweets and posts
All entrants will receive an email following CIM with special offers from Race partners. Keep an eye out!
CIM + iTAB
A free gift for all 2025 CIM full marathon finishers!
CIM is excited to partner with iTab to provide all full marathon finishers a FREE custom medal iTab insert with your name and official finish time to attach to your 2025 CIM finisher medal.
After the race:
Sign into your Race Roster account here (after the race)
Click the blue Edit Registration button
Click Products at the top of the page
Make your iTab selection and save
From your dashboard, make sure your mailing address is correct
LOYAL RUNNER PROGRAM
If you have run CIM 10 or more times please visit our website for more information about the program. You must register for the program to receive the benefits (if you registered last year, no need to reregister again) so check it out!
Loyal runners – if you are registered for the program, be sure to wait until you receive your Loyal Runner code before you register for 2026.
Enter for a chance to win a personalized race print from Trackstar
Our official race print provider is giving away a personalized race print and Garmin Forerunner ($440 value). All you have to do is click this link and enter your email at the top of their website. Winner announced the day after the race.
We are excited for you to see our official merchandise booth with our official shoe and apparel partner – ASICS. Visit the ASICS booth, just past the packet pick-up area at the expo and also at the finish line.
*Must have a valid ID to enter the beer garden.
