SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After countless hours of training, thousands of California International Marathon runners crossed the finish line on Sunday despite the rain.
It's one of the biggest marathons to come to downtown Sacramento, bringing in people from all around the world.
At the finish line, runners were met with cheers and smiles as they finished a grueling 26-mile course, taking them from Folsom to the State Capitol.
"I know it's before the clock stopped and I'm still upright. That's all that really matters," said Brandee Waite, as she laughed after crossing the finish line.
It's been a long journey for these runners. Some have trained for months, while others have trained for years just to cross the finish line of the California International Marathon. But they say the sense of accomplishment is worth it.
"It feels really good right now. It felt really bad a few minutes ago," said John Johnson, a runner from San Jose.
"I was training all year for this. This is my husband. I turn 50 in two weeks and I had a goal of running 50 miles and races in my 50th year so he signed up and ran the relay with me. This was my last 13 miles and finished 50 miles. So I feel great," added Waite.
One group of runners drove through the night from San Jose and went straight to the race. They say after the first 8 to 10 miles, it's not about your body's response, but your heart's desire to keep going.
"You feel accomplished, and it kind of has a bit of a life lesson too. You don't give up. You take one mile at a time. You take one step at a time in life. That's how I see it," said Chetan Belegere, a runner from San Jose.
The group has been running for years. Each race leaves them with a memory, but it's especially memorable if it's someone's first marathon.
"You know, you always feel, 'Can I do it or not,' right? So you always have that general anxiety and doubt. Once you do it, then you know I'm hoping that the next 10 or 20 will be easier," said Srini Mandyan, a first-time marathon runner.
This year's winners were Paige Stoner and Futsum Zeinasellassie. Stoner finished the race at 2 hours, 26 minutes, and 2 seconds, and Zeinasellassie finished at 2 hours, 11 minutes, and one second.
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