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!