1,000 charity entries still available for Dec. 2 race
The California International Marathon achieved a record-setting sell-out for general registration entries on August 10, marking the earliest ever sell-out by nearly a month.
The race, set for December 2 and organized by the Sacramento Running Association, has now sold-out for each of the past 10 years.
Marathoners who did not get in through general registration can still register by purchasing one of the race’s limited late entries that benefit local charities. Due to the early race sell-out, race organizers have decided to double the number of charity entries available. 1,000 tax-deductible charity entries are available at $275 each with proceeds going directly to SRA community giving initiatives, including the race’s chief beneficiary, the UC Davis Children’s Hospital.
“UC Davis Children’s Hospital is proud to be the chief beneficiary of the California International Marathon and receive such generous support from the Sacramento Running Association. Now that the charity entries are open, runners will be able to register and help support sick and injured children in the Sacramento community and the 33 counties that we serve,” said Ann Madden Rice, CEO of UC Davis Medical Center.
General registration and charity entries are expected to push the registration total to over 12,000 with another 8,000 runners combined in the CIM Relay, Capitol 5k and maraFUNrun 5k for a race weekend total of 20,000 registrants.
The CIM has continued to produce steady increases in the number of marathon participants over recent years and is currently the fastest growing major marathon in the United States. With 7,044 marathon finishers in 2017, the CIM ranked as the 11th largest marathon in the country for 2017 and is expected to crack the top-10 for 2018.
“The Sacramento Running Association has worked hard in recent years to find ways to innovate and grow to allow us to share this special event with more and more people. In an industry over-saturated with options, it can be challenging to stand out; however, CIM seems to have resonated with runners of all levels that value a dynamic and well-produced running event where genuine care and concern is given to the participant experience,” said Scott Abbott, Sacramento Running Association’s Executive Director.
The CIM has long enjoyed a reputation as a great race to earn a Boston Marathon qualifying time, ranking first among major open U.S. marathons with the highest percentage of finishers qualifying for Boston. The 26.2-mile test from Folsom to the state Capitol features a slight downhill course and the cool weather conditions are normally close to marathon ideal, attracting runners looking for fast times.
The 2018 CIM will also host the USATF Marathon Championships for the second year in a row, drawing in many of the best American runners from across the country. The 2017 CIM had 91 athletes run 2020 USATF Olympic Trials qualifying times, the second most runners under USATF Olympic Trials standards in a single marathon race ever, coining the term “OTQ Factory”.
“We have been amazed and thrilled by the growing demand from marathoners all around the globe wanting to come to Sacramento each fall to run their best marathon. From the professional runners chasing the U.S. Championship or Olympic Trials qualifying marks, to amateur runners chasing personal bests and Boston Marathon qualifying times, to first-time marathoners chasing the dream of a life-changing pursuit, the Sacramento Running Association, together with our partners, is committed to inspiring these achievements step by step in every runner,” added Abbott.
In addition to the 1,000 marathon charity entries available, registration spots are still available for the CIM Relay, Capitol 5k and maraFUNrun 5k.
Runners can register at www.runcim.org.
The Sacramento Running Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding ways to encourage people of all ages and abilities to run. The SRA is committed to developing new, quality running events that appeal to a broad variety of runners.
SRA events include the recently completed Gold Country Half, the Capital Cross Challenge on Sept. 29, the Run the Parkway on Nov. 4, the 36th annual California International Marathon on Dec. 2, the Super Sunday Run in February and the Credit Union SACTOWN Run in April.