Road closures for Sunday’s California International Marathon

A record level of participation in the California International Marathon on Sunday will mean fewer gaps in the field for a race that blocks traffic from Folsom to downtown Sacramento.

In past races, monitors occasionally allowed traffic to cross the course but only if there were large gaps between runners. Motorists should plan to avoid the course during the race.

More than 11,000 runners registered this year for the marathon’s 35th anniversary, and another 7,000 registered for its relay event and the 5K held in downtown Sacramento. About 9,000 runners registered for the marathon in 2016.

The CIM’s start area in Folsom is closed to spectators. There is no non-official vehicle access near the course start on Auburn-Folsom Road near Folsom Dam, and parking is limited. Street closures in the area begin at 4 a.m. on Sunday and end at 9 a.m. The race starts at 7 a.m.

The race concludes at the state Capitol. Roads in that area will start closing at 8 a.m. on Saturday, beginning with Capitol Mall between 8th and 10th streets. Some closures around the finish will be in effect until 5 p.m. Sunday.

The slightly downhill course, which drops 340 feet in elevation over its length, is known as a place to run a fast time to qualify for the Boston Marathon. The CIM is put on by the Sacramento Running Association.

This story was originally published November 30, 2017 at 1:01 PM with the headline "Road closures for Sunday’s California International Marathon."