Dec. 8, 2024

Event Rules
Gear Check
Security Info

Event Rules

Entry Rules
  • The California International Marathon (CIM) and 2-person Relay entry fees are nonrefundable.
  • CIM entry fees may not be transferred under any circumstances. Individuals involved in these illegal transactions will both be disqualified.
Race Rules

The California International Marathon (CIM) is organized and conducted under USA Track & Field rules. Entrants must comply with Sacramento Running Association (SRA) rules and all applicable rules. Failure to comply may result in disqualification and/or a ban from future races.

  • The entrant must complete the entire official course to be considered an official finisher. Those who do not, or who are unable to finish, must NOT, under any circumstances, cross the finish line.
  • The entrant must run on the certified route: prior to the 10.5 mile mark, this includes the entire road. The certified route after the 10.5 mile point is on the RIGHT side of the course.
  • No unofficial runners are allowed on the course. No unofficial assistance of any kind may be provided to entrants. The only pacers on the course are the official CIM Pace Team leaders.
  • The SRA reserves the right to disqualify any athlete whose support personnel interferes with another athlete, race operations, or does not follow the instructions of a race official.
  • The bib number must be clearly visible at all times, may not be altered in any way, and must be displayed on the front of the runner.
  • No early starters and no late starters! The starting area closes 20 minutes after the starting gun is fired, so do not be late for the start. The course starting area is monitored by the race personnel for illegal early and late starters.
  • There are no bicycles, unicycles, tricycles, inline skates, blades, skateboards, or strollers allowed on-course. The only wheeled vehicles allowed on the course are those of the wheelchair competitors, approved athletes with disabilities using non-traditional wheelchairs, and CIM officials.
  • Hand crank bicycles are not allowed at the CIM and there is no official hand crank division. If you are a disabled athlete who would like to participate in a hand crank bicycle, you may request an accommodation through USA Track & Field’s ADA Accommodations Request process. (Please note: Evaluation of this request may take 4-6 weeks.)
  • For information about our transgender/non-binary gender policies, click here.
  • No animals are permitted in the event.
  • Prize money winners, Invited Elite Athletes, and athletes competing in the Pacific Association USATF Road Grand Prix are not allowed to wear electronic listening devices. For other runners, the use of headphones is strongly discouraged, and if directed by a race official to cease such use, the entrant must comply promptly.
  • Follow all directions from race officials and public safety personnel, including directions to stop, walk, change course (including off the pre-announced course), and remove headphones. Failure to follow these directions is a hazard to your and other participants’ safety and may result in disqualification.
Disqualification Procedure for Rule Violations

The California International Marathon (CIM) is officially sanctioned by USA Track & Field, the governing body of road racing, race walking and track & field events. According to USATF sanctioning rules, USATF officials are on the course checking for rule violations and will also accept protests within 24 hours from official entrants who have observed rule violations. Race management also carefully reviews the preliminary results before declaring them official approximately 4-6 weeks after race day; credible reports of rules violations, missing times, mismatched photographs, and split time discrepancies are investigated thoroughly.

California International Marathon Security Procedures

At the California International Marathon (CIM), safety is our top priority. The CIM Public Safety Committee, which consists of race staff alongside representatives from ten local public safety organizations and agencies, has conducted a multi-year review of our event and has implemented the following policies:

Start Line: All runners will get to the Start Line either on a bus to the Start Line from designated locations throughout the Sacramento area or via a Runner Drop-off Shuttle at designated locations within a few miles of the Start Line.  There is no spectator access to the Start Line. For complete information on how to get to the Start Line, click here.

Course Security: In order to be identified as an official participant runners must clearly display their unaltered bib on the front of their body at all times. There are no unofficial runners allowed on the course. No unofficial assistance of any kind may be provided to entrants. The SRA reserves the right to disqualify any athlete whose support personnel interferes with another athlete, race operations, or does not follow the instructions of a race official.

There are no bicycles, unicycles, tricycles, inline skates, blades, skateboards, or strollers allowed on-course. The only wheeled vehicles allowed on the course are those of the wheelchair competitors, approved athletes with disabilities using non-traditional wheelchairs, and CIM officials.

Follow all directions from race officials and public safety personnel, including directions to stop, walk, change course (including off the pre-announced course), and remove headphones. Failure to follow these directions is a hazard to your and other participants’ safety and may result in disqualification.

Finish Festival Security Checkpoints: The Finish Festival will open to the public at 8:30am on race day. All Finish Festival attendees are required to pass through one of the designated Security Checkpoints. For a map that includes Security Checkpoint locations, click here. As part of Security Checkpoint procedures, all bags entering the Finish Festival except small “clutch”-style bags (8.5″ x 5.5″ or smaller) and clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags no larger than 12″ long  x 6″ wide x 12″ high will be subject to inspection by Security Checkpoint staff. Prohibited items include:

  • Firearms
  • Explosives
  • Knives with blades longer than 3.5”
  • Drugs and alcohol
  • Signs larger than 30″ x 30″
  • Signs on stakes
  • Amplified sound devices (speakers, megaphones, etc)

Finish Festival entrants found to have a prohibited item will be given the option to return to their car/hotel room/house with the item and then return without it or surrender the item and enter the Finish Festival. Firearms will not be accepted as surrendered items and must be returned to Finish Festival entrants’ car/hotel/house before they enter the Finish Festival. Surrendered items will not be returned.

Please remind your loved ones to arrive early, bring a bag that won’t require them to stop for inspection–or, better yet, forego a bag altogether–and thank them for their patience.

Lastly, if you see something that looks out of place, please say something to the nearest race official, and thanks for doing your part to keep CIM safe! All CIM security processes are designed to keep our participants, volunteers, and the surrounding community safe, so we thank you for your compliance.