California International Marathon Adaptive Program

The Adaptive Program of the California International Marathon (CIM) is intended for athletes with physical or visual impairments who require accommodations to take part in the California International Marathon.

Athletes who wish to register for an Adaptive Program of the California International Marathon must have a permanent impairment that aligns with the 10 eligible impairment types defined by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). 

You can read more about these definitions here.

Athletes must provide impairment documentation to the Sacramento Running Association (SRA)  or have current documentation on file with the SRA. Providing documentation does not guarantee that an athlete will be accepted into the Adaptive Program. Adaptive Program field size may be limited based on considerations including overall race cap, event logistics, and participant safety. Athletes may be granted an ADA Accommodation but not accepted into the Adaptive Program if the Adaptive Program is full. 

You can request the AWD CIM Medical Documentation form by contacting the SRA Office at: AWDCIM@runsra.org.

The following forms of documentation are also acceptable in lieu of this form:

1. National or World Para Athletics classification
2. Previous USATAF ADA Accommodation
3. US Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) Verification of Vision Impairment

In addition to having an eligible permanent disability, athletes with disabilities also must provide medical documentation of how this disability substantially impacts their ability to ambulate or participate in the sport of running.

Adaptive Program Categories

Handcycle
The athlete must possess a permanent physical impairment that aligns with the eligible physical impairment types defined by the International Paralympic Committee and recognized in the sport of Handcycle/Para Cycling, and
The impairment impacts the person’s ability to ambulate.

CIM is a U.S. Track & Field (USATF) sanctioned marathon course. It is not a sanctioned para-cycling event.

CIM reserves the right, at any time and under any condition, to establish, update or revise rules of participation by handcycle entrants to ensure the safety of all race participants.

Handcycle participants are required to wear a hard-shell helmet.

CIM strongly encourages handcycle participants to affix a safety flag to the back of their handcycle to increase their visibility on the marathon course.

Handcycle participants must control their speeds throughout the race to ensure their own safety and the safety of others, which may include yielding the right of way to competitors or official race vehicles.

Handcycles must abide by course speed restrictions outlined below.

Athletes participating in this division are not eligible for either age group or overall awards and will be listed in the “Adaptive Program” division in the official results.

Duo Teams
A Duo Team is comprised of an able-bodied runner/s pushing a non-ambulatory; person with a permanent physical impairment in a customized racing wheelchair.

The duo rider must possess a permanent physical impairment significantly impacting their ability to ambulate.   

The duo rider must remain securely seated in the customized racing chair throughout the duration of the race. 

All duo teams will start the race immediately behind the handcycle and wheelchair field.

Athletes participating in this division are not eligible for either age group or overall awards and will be listed in the “Adaptive Program” division in the official results. Duo teams will receive a single finish time using the pushers time, or one of the pusher’s time if there are two pushers; pushers will not be scored individually for their age group and are similarly not eligible for awards.

The field of Duo teams will consist primarily of teams from The SRA’s Duo partner, Team Ainsley’s Angels.

Wheelchair Division
The athlete must possess a permanent physical impairment that aligns with the eligible physical impairment types defined by the International Paralympic Committee, and require a wheelchair to be able to participate in running events.   

Wheelchair participants must control their speeds throughout the race to ensure their own safety and the safety of others, which may include yielding the right of way to competitors or official race vehicles.

Wheelchair participants must abide by course speed restrictions outlined below.

Results will be reported in a separate wheelchair division.

Ambulatory AWD Participants
This includes Ambulatory AWD participants with an eligible visual or physical impairment as defined by the aforementioned 10 IPC disability categories.

Athletes with visual impairments must meet the criteria of legal blindness; visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with the best possible correction, and/or a visual field of 20 degrees or less.

Ambulatory AWD participants with an eligible visual or physical impairment who require a Sighted Guide or Support Runner to take part in the CIM must notify the SRA before the close of normal race registration.  

Both Sighted Guides & Support Runners for runners accepted into the CIM Adaptive Program will be allowed to register at no cost and will be provided with an amenity free registration code. Amenity free runners receive no race amenities and will not receive a finishing time.  Sighted guides and Support Runners who want an official race finish must register like all other CIM participants.

A sighted Guide is someone who provides verbal cues to a Visually Impaired runner and may or may not be tethered to the runner.  A Support Runner is defined as a person who provides verbal instructions, directions/cues that support orientation and/or decision making. Support Runners may also assist the AWD runner to temporarily regain balance, without obstruction to other participants.  

Sighted Guides and Support Runners must wear an approved race bib identifying them as a Guide or Support runner.
AWD ambulatory runners will be scored with the general field of registrants.

Race Start

There will be a mandatory silent race start for all handcycle, wheelchair and Duo participants before the mass start.

Athletes accepted in the Adaptive Program will have the option to be part of a designated early start or begin with the general field of runners. If choosing to be part of the early start, AWD ambulatory runners must notify the CIM AWD Program Manager 2 weeks prior to the California International Marathon by email at AWDCIM@runsra.org.

Course Speed Restrictions

All CIM participants, including AWD participants must abide by road closure times. Here is the mile by mile road closure information for your planning.

If ahead of the road closing times, any CIM starters (AWD or otherwise) will not be considered participants in the event and will be choosing to proceed at your own risk without the expectation of race services (possibly including closed roads, aid stations, split times, or a finish time).