Forums >General Running>Is Boston or CIM harder?
Mmmm.... toasty
Hello! Sorry if this seems like a naive question. I've run Boston Marathon more than once, so I know it pounds your legs. But I've also heard that the middle miles of CIM (California International Marathon) can do that. So, if you've run both, which did you find more difficult, terrain-wise? Thanks!
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I've run Boston once, CIM twice. In terms of execution, I believe Boston is the more challenging course. It's not just the climbs or the downhill nature, but where stuff is placed.
In terms of recovery, I found CIM hard on my body both times I ran it. I recovered from Boston much more quickly, but that may have been because I ran it in 2018, and being hypothermic seemed to have actually aided my recovery, post-race.
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I found only one stretch of CIM "pounding" on my legs (I can't exactly remember where, but it was a pretty steep downhill that had some turning to it, somewhere before the half). Boston, the problem is that pounding occurs in the first few miles, so you can really pay for it later. Either way, I think Boston is much worse. Put another way, you should train for hills for Boston, but for CIM, as long as you don't run on pancake flat terrain, you'll be okay.
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
Next Race: NYC Half (3/19)
Boston's more difficult (Ive run Boston 6 times and CIM 8 times). A lot of people allow themselves to be sucked out to faster starts than they should at Boston. The CIM start is somehow more low-key and you just do your own thing which is good. But even if you resist that hot start the Newton hills come late and can demoralize you. Weather, of course, is almost always better at CIM (if you like to run in the cold).
Sorry, you asked about terrain ... I actually feel they are both about the same in terms of punishment applied to my legs!
Hello, you all. Thank you for the replies! This is all good stuff, exactly what I needed to know. Have a great week! --Christine
Also, @kcam: did you say that CIM tends to be colder than Boston? I (heart) cold weather, and CIM being cooler than Boston is not something I would have expected. --Thanks again, Christine
The beauty of CIM is almost guaranteed great running weather - since 2012, when I ran it first time, the temps were in a range of 40-55oF, one year it was 25oF at the time of the start - a little bit of cold, but still absolutely great weather for a race. Usually the wind is not noticeable, couple of years we had fog and a drizzle - just a dream weather! The only "problem" is sun appears most of the time at around 8am and could warm up a little bit, but not too much. Three years I ran Boston. the temps were always above 55oF and at 10am we had direct sun - that made actual temps feel much much warmer. I think only 2015 the weather was more or less OK in Boston, but still - worse than what CIM has almost every year.
Every time I write this I am afraid people would come and finally get an awful weather at CIM and then blame me
paces PRs - 5K - 5:48 / 10K - 6:05 / HM - 6:14 / FM - 6:26 per mile
Oleg, were you at CIM in 2012! That year was a monsoon, tough day to race. We were huddling under the buildings near the start to stay out of the heavy rain and wind! But that was, by far, the worst weather I've run at CIM. The other 7 times it has been, for me, dream running weather as you mentioned. I like it cold and CIM usually delivers. My best Boston (2000) was a day that started at about 35 deg in Hopkinton and finished at about 30 in Boston, sunny and no wind the whole way - now that is close to PERFECT weather to me. My Boston PR.
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CIM is such an easy marathon I PR'd my half marathon in the first half of the race AND PR'd the full marathon by 5 minutes over a Run Revel marathon. I've never run Boston and there is no doubt in my mind on the same day with the same weather and the same crowds Boston would just destroy runners whereas CIM would just hand you PR after PR. CIM is the number 2 Boston qualifying course for a reason. It is an easy 26.2 mile run.
Many of us aren't sure what the hell point you are trying to make and no matter how we guess, it always seems to be something else. Which usually means a person is doing it on purpose.
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5k19:35 | Marathon 2:56:07
Yes, Ken - that was my first CIM and I was so lucky with that It definitely was the worst CIM I've ecer experienced - too much water all over the course and heavy headwind miles 6-11. Despite all that weather I remember it was 55oF and no sun, of course - so, it was not a PR weather but I didn't feel miserable
Please keep in mind guys that Brew has a very specific sense of humor
I don't know. I went there and was handed a huge PR on my first try there. So I think he's on to something
Mmmm Bop
Oleg - Bring it on. 🤗
Has Brew ever run a hard marathon? 🤨
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
Also a lot of truth in the statement I made above. PR'd the half and the full, Boston never has the weather CIM does, and while Boston is more net downhill (which no one EVER cares about until CIM comes up) it will probably be harder for me than CIM. If Boston had low 40s starting temps and a light breeze with 12,000 runners I'm positive the same runners would claim Boston was harder. The two people I've know to talk about the courses with more experience with Boston have said CIM hurt more and they still say Boston is harder. It can't be that 75% of runners go out too fast at Boston and CIM attracts runners who are smarter with their racing and pace themselves better for 22 miles of rolling hills with a pancake flat finish.
Mikey Nope. I walked all the hard ones. Revel Mt. Charleston 2019 and Chicago 2018.
Boston is harder. I don't care how many more feet downhill it is. In CIM, you never face anything even remotely like the Newton hills. At no point in CIM did I feel like I had to stay focused when going up a hill to keep my legs moving. In Boston, miles 16-20 are just not fun. Even on same exact weather days, I'd take CIM. The only thing could potentially benefit you at Boston are the crowds if you're the type of person that feeds off the energy (the most exciting thing I saw at CIM was a goat on the course around mile 3).