Christine Murasaki Ainsworth conquered her 78th marathon at the California International Marathon on December 7, 2025—a chilly, hilly beast reminiscent of Boston but with rollier descents and a cozy 9,000-runner field. After years of deferrals, she nailed an early 3:30 AM shuttle, breezed through the expo, and leaned on pace groups (4:20 to 4:50) despite double vision challenges. A early slip and heartbreaking mid-race cardiac revival tested her, but neck and hip pains couldn’t stop a 5:02 finish—18 minutes faster than recent, inching toward sub-5 glory. Medals, blankets, and burritos sealed the triumphant comeback. Highly recommend!
Tag Archives: California International Marathon
Tales From Medal Monday Volume 4 Chapter 21
Medal Monday brings many stories of achievement for our members. Here are recent stories from the Marathon Maniacs and Half Fanatics, as told by you, as posted on the Marathon Maniacs/Half Fanatics Facebook pages. Thank you all for making 2025 a great year! As an end-of-year reminder: If you wish to join the team forContinue reading “Tales From Medal Monday Volume 4 Chapter 21”