Folsom to the Capitol
Everyone says "net downhill." It's true, and it's misleading. Here's how the course actually runs, and how to run it.
Folsom Dam
About 366 ft above sea level, 7:00 AM.
State Capitol
Downtown Sacramento, about 26 ft above sea level.
~660 ft of climbing
Plenty of up in a "downhill" race, mostly in the rollers of miles 3–10.
Simplified profile for planning. See the official course map at runcim.org.
Section by section
The first 0.9 miles roll straight downhill into a climb, and the crowd drags most runners through it around 30 seconds per mile faster than goal pace. If there's one mile at CIM to stare at your watch, it's this one. Sit on goal pace or slower.
Most of the course's climbing is here, roller after roller. Treat these miles as your warm-up: run marathon effort up each hill, not marathon pace, and let gravity do the work on the way down without forcing it. You can't win the race in the rollers, only lose it. Being 5–8 seconds per mile behind pace at mile 10 is far better than being ahead.
Right after mile 10 you hit Old Fair Oaks: one of the biggest aid stations and some of the loudest crowds on the course. It's your reward for the rollers. Enjoy it, then settle in toward halfway.
The rollers are behind you and the course turns into a gentle, fast descent. A big crowd at halfway carries you to mile 14 (a mile that tends to vanish). If you're feeling good, this is the place to run at goal pace or faster. Test a slightly quicker pace every quarter mile or so and claw back the time you gave up early.
Miles 20–21 bring the last big crowd, including a "tunnel" of fans around 20.5. Let it carry you, but don't get overhyped. Spectators head to the finish after this, and miles 22–24 can be lonely. The J Street Bridge at about 21.5 is the last climb. When it gets hard, anywhere on the course: "Just get to the bridge."
Over the bridge, it's essentially flat into downtown and the Capitol. If you were patient early, this is where you pass people. How to run the final 10K →