California International Marathon

CIM uses open, tiered registration (Blue, Orange, and Gold levels) released on a first-come, first-served basis, typically opening in July. All standard tiers sell out very quickly. A charity entry option bundling a $235 tax-deductible donation with the $230 entry fee is available as a secondary path. Check runsra.org each summer for the exact opening date.

Yes. CIM is USATF-certified and fully accepted by the BAA as a Boston qualifier. In 2025, 30.2% of finishers ran a qualifying time, one of the highest BQ rates of any U.S. marathon.

CIM has a strict 6-hour course cutoff. A sweep vehicle traveling at approximately 13:44 per mile opens roads behind it starting from the 7:30 a.m. final start. Aid stations, medals, and finish-line services are not guaranteed for runners behind that pace.

The course starts near Folsom Dam at roughly 359 ft and finishes at the Capitol at 19 ft, for a net downhill of about 340 ft. Total cumulative gain is approximately 663 ft and total loss is about 1,003 ft. The first 13-18 miles are rolling; the final 5-6 miles are largely flat.

Historical averages show a race-day high of 56°F and a low of 38°F in early December. Conditions are usually cool and partly cloudy with light winds. Occasional light rain is possible but overall conditions are favorable for fast times.

CIM is one of the ten largest marathons in the United States. In 2025 there were 8,178 marathon finishers, and the race cap is approximately 9,000 marathon entries.

The race starts near Folsom Dam in Folsom, California, and finishes at the California State Capitol in downtown Sacramento. Official buses are included in registration to transport runners to the start line on race morning.