Aug. 22, 2014
For immediate release
Race expected to reach 9,000-runner cap again
Despite increasing competition, the 32nd annual California International Marathon is closing in on its 9,000-runner registration cap with 3 ½ months left before the Dec. 7 race.
Marathon growth has exploded since 2000, with the number of U.S. marathons increasing from approximately 300 in 2000 to more than 1,100 in 2013. But the CIM remains strong thanks to its connection to the community and its reputation as an optimal Boston Marathon qualifying course.
The race has grown tremendously since 2005, when it featured 4,000 runners. With 6,238 finishers in 2013, the CIM ranked as the 13th largest marathon in the country.
The first CIM in 1983 had 1,600 entrants.
Founded by the Sacramento Running Association, the CIM is close to 90 percent full. General registration will close once the limit is reached.
The event has filled for five consecutive years, reaching its cap in late August last year.
“Our goal is to improve the CIM every single year,” race director Eli Asch said. “So whether you’re a streaker who has run every race since 1983 or a first-time participant, you should register soon to get your spot on the starting line for what we hope will be our – and your – best CIM yet.”
Marathoners can register for $150 at www.runcim.org.
Once general registration closes, runners will still have two ways to gain a spot in the field.
There are 300 charity entries available at $250 each, with 100 percent of the money going to the SRA’s youth fitness programs. Part of the entry fee ($120) is tax deductible.
Runners who meet the CIM’s time standards – five minutes slower than Boston Marathon qualifying times – are guaranteed entry during a registration window from Oct. 1-Oct. 15. The entry fee is $150.
General registration, charity entries and time-standard entries are expected to push the registration total to 9,000 again.
Spots are still available in the CIM Relay. The entry fee for the four-person relay is $190; high school teams can enter for $50. The relay division cap is 1,000 teams.
The CIM has long enjoyed a reputation as a great race to earn a Boston Marathon qualifying time. The 26.2-mile test from Folsom to the state Capitol is slightly downhill, and weather conditions are normally cool enough to help produce fast times.
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.