11 Reasons to Register for CIM

California International Marathon (CIM) tops the list as one of my favorite races and registration officially opens tomorrow — February 28, 2019. Here’s what you need to know about registration:

1. If you’re in the first 1,000 people to register tomorrow you’ll get in at a special rate of $112.
2. Miss the special pre-registration rate? Early registration is $124 — making CIM one of the most affordable big races out there.
3. Where to register? RIGHT HERE!
4. When is it? December 8, 2019

So, now that we have the housekeeping details out of the way. Let’s get into the good stuff. WHY should you run this race?

1. It’s FAST. As the #1 Boston Qualifier, I can attest that both times I’ve run this race, I’ve run it fast.
2. The weather is almost always amazing. I’ve gone out there 3 years in a row and it’s been in the high 30s at the start!
3. It’s the perfect place to be a running nerd. I’ve seen more pros close up here than any other race and the number of Olympic Trial Qualifiers is incredible! They also do a great job of amping this up with special events at the expo. Last year, The Rambling Runner Podcast did a live show including an interview with the top seeded woman Sarah Crouch.
4. Sacramento is a great town to visit. It’s walkable and there are some great restaurants! It’s also home to my favorite chocolate shop on the planet — Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates. Get the Mexican Hot Chocolate and thank me later.
5. Not quite ready to run a marathon? No prob. The relay is an awesome experience and you can run with 2, 3, or 4 runners to complete the marathon. I ran leg one in 2017 as part of my injury comeback! There’s also a new Capitol 5K the day before which is a great shakeout run or a fun event for family to check out.
6. The course makes for some AWESOME pictures. Sacramento’s trees are bright orange and red in December and it made for an incredible photo backdrop!
7. The pacers are some of the most dependable and accurate I’ve seen and the groups are always optimized for people’s big goals.
8. First marathon? I’ve participated as a mentor in the race’s First Timer program the last couple of years. It’s a super supportive community that helps guide first time marathoners to the finish line.
9. The Port-a-Potties! The start line is filled with more potties than most races making for a less stressful start.
10. The busses. Like Boston, you take a bus to the start line…but unlike Boston you can stay warm and cozy on the bus until you’re ready to run!
11. The community. CIM has become such a big International race over the years, it’s become an opportunity for me to meet up with my running buddies from around the country! I’ll be there again this year (and probably teaching yoga at the expo again too!), so come join me!!!

If you have questions about CIM or are considering giving this race a try, shoot me a message! I’d love to share my 3 years of experience running in Sacramento.