Sunday, approximately 250 runners will line up at William Land Park for the 24th Sacramento Marathon, a prime local example of a small marathon. The event does not feature prize money, television coverage or many cheering spectators beyond the friends and family of the runners. In bigger races, travel arrangements and lodging must be made months in advance and can cost hundreds of dollars. On race weekend, the crowded runner expos and massive pasta dinners of big-city races can add more stress. In addition, many large events require early-morning bus trips to the starting area and crowded shuttle rides back to host hotels or parking areas after the race.
Most runners block out three or four days to compete in a big marathon.
In contrast, most entrants in the Sacramento Marathon are local residents who will sleep in their own beds the night before the race, drive half an hour or less to the starting line and have little trouble finding a parking spot within a mile of the finish. The first three miles wind through the leafy, quiet neighborhoods north of Land Park. The next three miles run north on Front Street, alongside the Sacramento River to Old Sacramento. The race returns to Land Park on the same route. Each year, about 15 percent of marathon entrants decide they've had enough after the first loop.