We are devastated to announce that we are cancelling the 2020 California International Marathon.  We appreciate everyone’s patience and support as we worked through all possible options and considerations for all of our event stakeholders: registrants, sponsors, charities, vendors, partners, staff, volunteers, and the entire greater-Sacramento community.

We would like to thank our local leadership, municipal and community partners, and county and state health officials that worked so hard to create an avenue for us to still potentially hold the event in recognition of its immense importance to our community.  Despite their creative and open-minded efforts, we ultimately recognized that the event would be too much of a departure from the experience that has made CIM such a unique and special event over the past 37 years and what we hope will continue to make it one for many more years to come.

We know there has been an anxious strain on our registrants as we worked through our options.  As one of the last events on the calendar, we felt like it was our responsibility to continue to ride the waves of change as a potential beacon of hope in what has been a volatile 2020.

Through this process, however, we are encouraged that, through working with local and state health officials, we have identified protocols that will allow for a safe and responsible return to racing in some form very soon for our passionate running community.  We are excited that this process has, if nothing else, brought us one step closer to being able to host events for you very soon, so stay tuned for further announcements on this front.

Ok, Now what?!

CIM “Worry-Free” Voucher:

In April, we swiftly outlined a “Worry-Free Registration Guarantee” that let all of our registrants know that if the race was unable to be conducted, they will receive a voucher for a free entry into any one of the next 3 CIMs (2021-2023).  For more information on how to redeem your CIM “Worry-Free” Voucher, click here.

Project 26.20:

Also, we know that many of you in the CIM community have been very determined to stay on the #road2CIM this fall through the uncertainty.  We know you have a desire to keep moving forward to not be denied the opportunity to run 26.2 this fall.  For you, we built the “Project 26.20” event which is a digital platform to help you still get 26.2 out of 2020.  We want you to finish 2020 with a win, and we hope “Project 26.20” is the best way to help you get that!  For more information on Project 26.20 click here.

FAQs:

We recognize the complexities of all that is involved in this decision and know that many different people are affected by this decision in a multitude of ways.  We know that there is not a singular response that can address every concern or question.  We have created a series of FAQ’s that attempt to address many of these, but also encourage anyone to contact us directly if they have any unanswered questions or unaddressed concerns after reading through the FAQs.

Why did you cancel so early; what if conditions change?
We felt that 10 weeks out from the event was the “fail safe” point.  This is a county-wide event that has many variables and factors in play that require the coordination of many parts.  We also did not want to be reckless with registrants’ personal planning with respect to travel, training, and scheduling work time off.

Why did you take so long to cancel after many other similar events canceled?
We felt that it is our duty to our registrants who signed up to run our race to explore all avenues to deliver on that for them.  With our event not being scheduled until December, our timeline was a little different from other events scheduled much earlier, and we feel that our cancellation over 10 weeks out from our event is in line with the timeline that other events provided, and also provided more than ample notification for all registrants.

Based on our registrant survey and our communication with city and county officials, we found that most of our event stakeholders wanted the event to happen if possible, so we fulfilled our responsibility to them by working through all options to try to find a safe and responsible way to put on the event.

We also felt that our “Worry Free Registration Guarantee” that we laid out in April for our registrants provided sufficient peace of mind and clarity for our registants.

I was prepared to run under any conditions, why did you cancel?
We recognize that there are many registrants who would have run no matter what, and we admire your committed spirit.  Although there was a conceivable pathway to a safe event still on the table, we felt that the modifications that were required by health officials would strip the event down so much that it would no longer have been CIM.  We have tried to build an alternative platform for people that are still committed to running 26.2 with us this fall.  Please visit “Project 26.20” for more information.

We also are still working on an in-person 26.2 option this fall with these modifications and protocols, and we will share that opportunity with you as soon as they become a reality.

Why did you continue to market and communicate optimism publicly, if you knew were going to cancel?
We did not ever intend to cancel, and we made a point to continue to communicate realistic and cautious optimism in all of our communications.  Our decision to cancel came just days before it was communicated publicly, as we actually had tentative approvals with our modified protocols.  We were transparent very early on about the uncertainty of the event and provided very clear messaging about how registrants would be made whole if the event was canceled.  We also closed registration earlier in the summer and well before we were sold out once the uncertainty intensified.  Our communication efforts have always been about building community, not customers.  We know how passionate our community is, and our purpose behind ALL communication was to keep our community inspired and motivated during a difficult and anxious time.

Can I still show up on Dec 6 and run the CIM course?
The CIM course uses some of the most traveled roads in Sacramento and is not especially conducive to running when the roads are not closed.  We have built some great options to still run 26.2 as part of the CIM community in December through our “Project 26.20” platform.  You can run 26.2 on that platform wherever is safest and best for you and the platform will keep you connected to our CIM community.

We are working on hosting a formal modified in-person event in Sacramento in or around December 6th, and if and when that becomes a reality, we will share that info with everyone.

Can I get a refund instead of a voucher?
Unfortunately, we are not able to offer refunds, as much of your costs for an event of this size are sunk into the event long before you ever show up to the expo or start line.  We feel that a 3 year credit window should provide ample opportunity for you to come back and run on “The Fastest Course in the West” at some point in the future.

How does my voucher work?
We provided every 2020 CIM registrant with a custom voucher code in our registrant email that went out on 9/25/20.  If you did not receive that email or code please email us at info@runsra.org.

The voucher code is good for one use on a future CIM through 2023.  The code should be entered as a promotional code at checkout and will zero out the expenses of race registration (no additional add-ons).

Voucher codes must be used by May 31st of the year you would like to run CIM, so that you are entered before the race sells-out.  If you do not register by May 31st, you will have to wait to use your voucher the following year.

What if I registered for add-ons, such as VIP, the Capitol Challenge, or Run the Parkway this year?
All of your registration add-ons will be attached to your voucher, so when you re-register for a future CIM, you will automatically get those programs added to your registration.  You do NOT need to re register for those add-ons, they will be automatically applied after you register for the race with your voucher.

If for some reason one of those programs is not offered or significantly altered in the future race, you will receive a refund for that add-on expense at that time.

Can I forfeit my voucher in exchange entry into “Project 26.20”?
Unfortunately, those events are separate events with separate registrations, so your voucher is not transferable to any other non-CIM events.  Your credit is only good for a future CIM (2021-2023).

I would like to pass on my voucher as a donation to the Sacramento Running Association or other partner charities?
We appreciate this thought, as the SRA is a 501(c)3 non-profit that relies heavily on the revenue from CIM to facilitate its mission and stay in business to continue to put on CIM in the future.  We also have amazing partner charities that do very important work in our community that value their relationship with CIM as an important fundraising arm.

However, the best way to support SRA or our partner charities at this time is to participate in “Project 26.20” this fall and consider making a donation through that registration as well.

You also are under no obligation to use your voucher code to register for future CIMs, and are free to register normally, if you feel so inclined.  Most importantly, whether you use your voucher code or not, we just look forward to having you back to be a part of our future events.

Can I transfer the voucher to another runner?
Unfortunately, your voucher is only for you.  Your code is attached to your personal registration information and can only be used as a code to a future registration with your information.

What if I deferred from 2019 into 2020, do I still get a voucher?
Yes, as long as you used your deferral code and entered the 2020 event before registration closed.  If you are not entered in the 2020 event, you will not receive a voucher for a future CIM.

What is the status of 2021 CIM?
The 2021 California International Marathon is scheduled for December 5, 2021.  At this point, we fully expect to be able to fully operate the event.  Obviously, in the ever-changing public health landscape with changing guidelines, it is impossible at this point to say exactly what the event will look like.  As we develop protocols and policies to be in line with changing guidelines, we will update the event website with more information.

Can I still get my shirt, medal, or other services for the 2020 event?
Unfortunately, the 2020 event has been canceled, so there are no services to provide for that event, all of those services will be rolled into your voucher and provided with your future event.

If you are interested in earning a medal and shirt and other prizes for running 26.2 this fall, we would encourage you to register for our Project 26.20 event.

How does this cancellation affect my Loyal Runner status?
Because the 2020 CIM has been cancelled, your Loyal Runner status will remain at the same level as it was following the 2019 CIM.  If you have further questions about the CIM Loyal Runner program and perks, please click here.