Record-Setting California International Marathon Taking Place in Sacramento this Weekend

The 36th Annual California International Marathon registered a record-setting field of 15,000 marathoners and is set to make its mark on Sacramento this weekend. Among an expected crowd of 75,000 spectators, the monumental 26.2-mile race will take place on Sunday, December 2.

The race will begin at 7 am at the Folsom Dam, and the course will run through Orangevale, Citrus Heights, Carmichael and Sacramento, concluding at the State Capitol.

The CIM is shaping up to be one of the deepest races in American marathoning history. The 2017 CIM had a near-record breaking 91 athletes qualify for the 2020 Olympic Trials and looks to be primed to produce similar numbers on December 2. This year’s CIM has a diverse and deep field that includes accomplished marathon veterans and talented event newcomers all looking to be crowned the next USATF Marathon Champion.

“We’re thrilled to again host the deepest and best-supported field of American marathoners you’ll find at any marathon in the world,” said CIM Race Director Eli Asch. “Our strong field featuring a mix of savvy veterans and talented debutants is poised and ready to take advantage of CIM’s famously fast ‘downhill to downtown’ course while chasing times, titles, and a piece of our nearly $150,000 championship prize purse.”

Favorites to win the men’s 2018 U.S. Marathon Championship include marathon veterans Daniel Tapia of Mammoth Lakes, Calif. who was the 2012 CIM Champion and Matt Llano of Flagstaff, Ariz. Both men hold personal best marathons of 2:12:28 – Tapia’s personal best coming from the 2016 CIM where he was the top American and third place finisher and Llano’s personal best coming from the 2015 Berlin Marathon.

Similar to the men’s race, the women’s championship is shaping up to be a battle between seasoned veterans, including 2016 CIM runner-up Stephanie Bruce (Flagstaff, Ariz.), and marathon debutants, including rising star Emma Bates (Boise, Idaho).

The marathon, organized by the Sacramento Running Association, is set to make a profound impact on the communities surrounding Sacramento. In addition to the impact on local hotels, restaurants and retailers, the race, through the work of the Sacramento Running Association, raises over $500,000 for local charities and community organizations through leveraged fundraising and direct giving every year.

CIM’s charity registration entries also directly fund SRA donations of over $50,000 annually to official partner charities including chief beneficiary 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,” said Brad Simmons, interim CEO of UC Davis Medical Center. “Funds raised will help sick and injured children in the Sacramento community and the 33 counties that we serve.”

Race weekend will begin with the inaugural Capitol 5k and the UC Davis Children’s Hospital maraFUNrun 5k on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 11:00 a.m. and noon, respectively. Over 4,000 runners are expected for the Saturday 5ks, while 15,000 marathoners and 3,500 relay runners are registered for the marathon on Sunday.

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.