I had a great first-marathon experience at the CIM. The spectators were the best part. I finished in almost 5 hours and there were still people along the way cheering. There were little boys with giant bags of pretzels, people playing music, and even people offering cold beer. I agree with the comment below that there was not enough water or Gu in the tiny cups. My only other complaints are that the lines for the porta-potties along the course were way too long. I lost 5 minutes because I had to go. And I felt a little lost at the finish area. It was too crowded.

Once again, CIM was just as expected. No hype, no 26-mile party, just an old-school runners' race. Organization was stellar. Buses to the start worked perfectly. There were tons of porta-potties, so the lines were nice and short. Gear check was right on as well.

The long-sleeve tech shirt was very nice, and the finisher's medal was crazy big. Best of all, the weather was PERFECT.

My only comments would be that some of those water stops were pretty tight. Perhaps a few more tables spread out over a little more space? Also, I agree there were way too many non runners enjoying the post race food.

Warning: for who haven't been to CIM, yes, the course is fast, but it is far from flat. You best be prepared for 18+ miles of rolling hills.

Thanks for another great race!

Just wanted to say that this was number 13 for me and I finally qualified for Boston (3:45:18). The 3:45 pace guy, Grant Carboni, was superb. He kept an eye out for my nutrition and hydration, which is usually my downfall, where I bonk! The hills were tackled by Grant in a way that they did not bother me at all, making them almost not noticeable. I did train for hills and that helps a lot.

The organization had only one flaw that I noticed: at the end of the race, the food and drinks were out in the open crowd and I was not able to get anything as there were too many non-runners around. The food and drinks should be kept in the enclosed area. There should also be a family meet-up area with lettered signs posted like in Chicago.

Overall, fantastic race that I will do again, but for now I have to get ready for Boston in April 2008!

I have run several different marathons and I would put the California International at the top of my list. The organization of the race and the expo were great. The proximity of hotels, expo, finish line, and downtown made it to get where you needed to go.

The bus service to the start line was an efficient way to get the runners to the start - and allowing the runners to stay on the bus until we were ready to warm up was great. The course was just as good as advertised - a little downhill stretch in the first 3-4 miles, rolling hills in the middle section, and then very flat from Mile 18 to the finish. A wonderful course for running a fast time.

We had perfect running conditions, so I was pleased with achieving a PR by 5 minutes and qualifying for Boston.

I would recommend this race to other runners looking for a fast course, a scenic route, and the opportunity to do your best.

This has got to be one of the best organized races ever, from online sign-up to the expo to the race itself. It absolutely caters to RUNNERS, and though it specifically targets BQers, I'm a 6-hour marathoner and felt very well taken care of. The only negative comment (really minor) is the long lines for the porta-pots at the beginning, but race organizers did say in every communication and all over the website to GET THERE EARLY.

The course is hilly. Don't be dazzled by "fast." If you train on hills (and not just throwing a few in here or there, but TRAIN LONG on hills), then it will be fast. This year we also had a strong, cold headwind much of the way (since the race heads in the same direction most of the way). Dress warmly - you can always toss layers.

Even though I'm very slow, there was outstanding course support, spectators and entertainment all along the way - and plenty of food left at the finish.

The T-shirt is gorgeous - just MAKE SURE to check the correct size on your entry (they have separate women's and men's sizes, so take that into account). The medal is large, pretty, heavy, and with little rubber legs on the bottom makes a nifty beer coaster.

Being very back-of-pack, I usually run alone, but there were LOTS of runners right around the 6-hour mark.

The course is fairly pretty - mostly in suburban Sacramento, with lots of trees. The finish at the capitol is stunning.

I had a great time running this marathon and it was truly very well-organized. If I had 1 complaint, it would have to be the bathrooms. Throughout the course there were very few bathrooms - only 2 or 3 every 5 miles or so. It was murder having to wait 3 miles to use the bathroom. And once you found them, there were often lines for them or they were being used. Not fun to have to wait in line during the race. Other than that, I think the marathon was well organized and an overall great experience. A bit of a crowd at the finish, though.

Compared to Las Vegas last year, this marathon was very well organized. It is obvious that a lot of work goes into this event. I really enjoy the spectators and we had nearly perfect weather. I plan to run this one every December from now on. I also like the shirt and finisher medal. This year I ran a p.r.

I enjoyed running this marathon. The course was nice, the weather was perfect and the spectators were enthusiastic. The expo was a little confusing about where to pick up your stuff, but no big deal. My only real complaint is that once I crossed the finish line, I had to practically beg for water, and there was no food that I could find. When I crossed the finish line I was feeling a little light-headed and apparently walked passed the person handing out water. I made my way back and a guard stopped me about three feet before the water. I told him I needed some water and he wouldn't let me pass. He said I could have water only if I could get the attention of the person passing it out from where I was standing. I couldn't get her attention, so when he wasn't looking I walked up to her and asked her water. She said, "No" - because she thought I was coming back for more. I told her that I was thirsty and hadn't had any water and she apparently didn't believe me. After practically begging her, she grudgingly gave me a bottle of water, and it didn't look to me like that were even close to running out. I've run 9 other marathons, and this is the first time I didn't feel taken care of at the end. It is not good to deny water to a dehydrated runner!

First time running CIM. The 3:00 pace guy was great. Nice course. Well organized. Would definitely come back.

I really enjoy point-to-point marathons - with the exception of the early morning bus ride, to me these are the best marathons. The course was great, and as the race progressed, the spectators were fantastic. The "downhill" course has many small hills. Many spectators would shout - "this is the last uphill for the race" - for us only to find another small hill. It still is a fast course - I improved my time from the SF marathon by over 30 minutes. The water stations were well stocked, the Clif pacers were great, and the music was motivating. Two small issues with organization: I think starting corrals should be added. I did a lot of weaving the first few miles. Second, and this has been mentioned before, the food area was swamped with non-runners getting food. I was a little frustrated by this. (Gotta love the family atmosphere and I was happy to see kids running up to their parents after they just finished the run, but I would like to have gotten a bite to eat a little faster.) All in all, a great race and I will be back next year.