Back

California International Marathon

Event Info Results News & Press Releases Reviews

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018

Event information

California International Marathon

Dec 07, 2008

4.2

Organizer`s website

Where

Sacramento, CA, United States

Start time

08:00

Distances

Marathon

Sub-events

26.2

Marathon

December 07, 2008 Sunday

Distance: Marathon·Start time: 08:00

MarathonPoint to pointWheelchair race

Race Results

Top 3

1. HALEFOM ABEBE 02:16:41

2. TESFAYE GILMA 02:17:06

3. JOSEPH MUTINDA 02:17:11

Top 3 Women

1. NATALIA SOKOLOVA 02:32:00

2. GALINA ALEKSANDROVA 02:37:13

3. SERKALEM ABTHA 02:39:03

Top 3 Men

1. HALEFOM ABEBE 02:16:41

2. TESFAYE GILMA 02:17:06

3. JOSEPH MUTINDA 02:17:11

SEE ALL RESULTS

Race Details

Contact Race Organizer

Are you the Race Director for this event?

Do you need to update the information? Please let us know

Training Plan

Free 20 week Basic Marathon Training Plan

A detailed plan created by our Head Coach designed for help you prepare for your first marathon.

Download now

Marathons Near Sacramento, CA

Jun

Wicked Fast Marathon & Half Marathon - San Diego

El Cajon, CA

Jun

Orange Curtain Endurance Run

Cerritos, CA

Jun

That Dam Race

San Jose, CA

Jul

Liberty Station Half Marathon, Marathon Relay & 5K

San Diego, CA

View all marathons in CA

Reviews

4.2

Based on 7 Reviews from other runners - tap or click to see all!

By: Robert Morgenstern

Posted: December 10, 2024

Great race

Given the reviews, I was expecting the worst. However, the race organization was flawless. Plenty of portapotties, plenty of fluids, medals etc. Transportation to and from start flawless. Weather, flawless. Kudos to the organizers.

4.3

By: MJ J.

Posted: May 21, 2024

Disappointing

Course is not flat, not inclusive for all runners, catered more for elites and not the average runner, which is disappointing to have elitist attitudes on the transport bus disparaging slow folks with passive/aggressive comments. Way to start a marathon. Sportsmanship and support was nonexistent amongst those I sat with on the bus, though met many runners (yes, we are runners even if our time is slower) along the way who were supportive of each other. No bananas at the end. Seriously. CIM puts on a big to-do with over 10,000 participants, but can't have enough bananas at the finish.

2.3

By: Fergus Hodgson

Posted: December 08, 2023

Tougher than Expected, Too Many Participants

This race was not prepared for 10,000 runners: (1) the waits were too long for the bathrooms; (2) the start line was chaotic with various paces running over each other; (3) there were shortages of finish-line bonuses. I had hoped for a unified 2:40ish pace group, and there just was not. Further, the course is definitely rolling hills and not flat at all, albeit with a slight net elevation loss. Yes, some people get their OTQs/BQs at CIM, but I would place other courses as faster (Houston is one example). My sense is that the race has many fast runners and not such a fast course. The quality of competitors there was impressively high. My recommendation: go out conservatively and shoot for negative splits!

4.3

Write a review

Training Tips

The 4-Week Taper Blueprint: How to Reduce Mileage Before Race Day Without Losing Your Edge You’ve logged the miles, endured the long runs, and pushed through more early mornings than you’d care to count. Now, with race day approaching,...

Jun 8, 2026

The Hidden Injury You’re Ignoring: Why IT Band Syndrome Derails Marathoners and How to Stop It You’ve logged the miles, built your base, and finally feel like a real marathoner — until a sharp, burning sensation flares up on the outside of your knee, and...

Jun 1, 2026

Fueling the Long Run: A Race-Tested Nutrition Plan for Miles 1–26.2 Running a marathon is a 26.2-mile test of endurance, determination, and — often underestimated — nutrition strategy. No matter how well your legs are trained,...

May 25, 2026

See all training articles

The 26th California International Marathon kicked off with more than 11600 participants. Halefom Abebe, from Ethiopa, won the mens 2 hours and 16 minutes. Natalia Sokolova of St. Petersburg, Russia won on the women's marathon, finishing in 2 hours and 32 minutes.

General News NEWS 10

Dec 07, 2008

Local runners enjoy California International marathon experience.

The California International Marathon saw conditions and a course that allowed for a great competition and thousands of runners to compete. Many local runners who did not achieve their time goal were still very satisfied with the race.

General News El Dorado Hills Telegraph

Dec 10, 2008

California International Marathon by the numbers

Most people are familiar with the 26.2 mile distance of the marathon. The California International Marathon will also put of many other numbers over the weekend. There will bee over 11500 participants and it will take over 2000 volunteers to put on the race.

General News Sacramento Bee

Dec 07, 2008

California International Marathon This Weekend; Watch For Street Closures

The twenty-sixth annual California International Marathon will begin at 7 am on Sunday and organizers want to make locals aware of street closures. More than twelve-thousand runners and walkers will hit the streets for the 26.2 mile marathon and the half-marathon.

General News KCRA

Dec 03, 2008