A two-week window offers spots for those within 5 minutes of qualifying standards
Oct. 1, 2012
For immediate release
Runners within striking distance of a Boston Marathon qualifying time can still register for the 30th California International Marathon during a two-week window opening today.
The race, set for Dec. 2, hit its cap of 8,000 runners in August. But runners who meet the CIM’s time standards – five minutes slower than the Boston Marathon age-group qualifying times – are guaranteed entry until Oct. 15.
Runners who have qualifying times can register at www.runcim.org, which also lists the CIM’s time standards to be eligible for the late registration.
The CIM, founded by the Sacramento Running Association, regularly ranks among the top five U.S. marathons in sending runners to Boston. Its 26.2-mile course from Folsom to the state Capitol is considered the fastest marathon course in the West and an ideal setting to earn a Boston Marathon qualifying time.
“We want to help runners achieve their lifelong dream of running Boston,” CIM race director John Mansoor said. “People who want to qualify for Boston will always have an opportunity to run our race.”
Mansoor said race officials are trying to accommodate the mid- to back-of-the pack runner and the marathoner with Boston potential, noting regular registration was open for six months before the race hit its cap.
“We’re trying to straddle both worlds,” he said.
Race officials also offered charity entries for $250 each after the race hits its cap. With 400 runners taking advantage, that raised $100,000 for CIM charities, which include youth fitness programs, elite athlete training, trail building in the American River Parkway and cross country courses.
The charity entries are now closed.
With an expected 200 elite entries, the CIM has more than 8,600 runners in its field. There are close to 900 relay teams registered, with room for 200 more.
A full relay field of 1,100 teams (4,400 runners) and an expected 2,000 maraFUNrun participants could help the CIM reach a total of 15,000 runners. The spectator count is expected to hit 50,000.
The race has doubled in size since 2005, when it featured 4,000 marathoners. The first CIM in 1983 had 1,600 entrants.
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.
Other SRA events include the Lake Natoma Four Bridges Half Marathon on Oct. 28, the Super Bowl Sunday 10k Run on Feb. 3 and the Credit Union SACTOWN Ten-Mile Run on April 7.
SRA beneficiaries include the American River Parkway, youth fitness programs, local running venues and aspiring young runners.