CIM is the race Californians use when they want one honest shot at Boston. You start in Folsom's foothills before dawn and run point-to-point toward downtown Sacramento, dropping a net 366 feet with gentle rolling hills early and a flat, fast finish. The route threads through Orangevale, Citrus Heights, Fair Oaks and Carmichael, then onto Sacramento's tree-lined streets, where early December leaves are still turning as you approach the State Capitol. Seventeen aid stations and a 6-hour cutoff keep it comfortable for mid-packers, and about 30 percent of 2025 finishers ran a BQ time. The catch is getting in: all three 2026 entry tiers sold out well before race day, so plan a year ahead or pair up for the two-person relay. Expect cold hands at the start and a big crowd at the finish.
Point-to-point from Folsom's foothills to the State Capitol in downtown Sacramento with a net drop of 366 ft, gentle rolling hills early and a flat, fast finish on tree-lined city streets. Course map ↗
All three 2026 individual entry tiers are SOLD OUT: Gold $230 (transferable, deferrable to 2027), Orange $200 (transferable only), Blue $180 (non-transferable). Remaining ways in are the In-Shape Fitness CIM two-person Relay or an official bib transfer through Race Roster, which opened October 1. No lottery. Register ↗
- CIM is USATF certified and sanctioned, a Boston Marathon and U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier, with a net elevation drop of 366 ft (111.5 m) that falls within Boston's downhill index and carries no index penalty. ↗
- Course and course services stay open to runners within the 6-hour finish cutoff pace; there are 17 aid stations, and 2026 adds three water self-refill stations near miles 6.7, 14 and 20.5. ↗
- Founded in 1983 by the Sacramento Running Association, the race has hosted USATF national championships including 2017, 2018, 2022, 2025 and 2026; the men's record is 2:07:35 (2024) and the women's 2:24:09 (2025). ↗
- findmymarathon lists 8,178 finishers in 2025 with 30.2% hitting a BQ time, 663 ft of gain and 1,003 ft of loss, starting at 359 ft and finishing at 19 ft. ↗
- The route passes through Orangevale, Citrus Heights, Fair Oaks and Carmichael before finishing under a canopy of fall-colored trees at the State Capitol. ↗
Checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site before booking travel.