Less than two weeks after her road marathon debut, Courtney Dauwalter has already decided to give 26.2 miles another go, this time at the California International Marathon on December 7.
The ultrarunning superstar shared the news on Instagram, writing that while her first marathon lacked her usual mountain scenery, snacks, and mid-race naps, she loved the experience enough to try again. She added that she’s excited to have more time to prepare and to build some momentum for her next attempt.
From Twin Cities to Sacramento
Dauwalter’s decision follows her showing at the Twin Cities Marathon earlier this month, where she ran 2:49:54 on an unusually hot, windy day in Minnesota. The performance earned her seventh place among women and marked her first professional road race.
That race was a homecoming for the Hopkins, Minnesota native, but CIM will be a different kind of challenge. The course, which runs from Folsom to downtown Sacramento, is known for its fast, net-downhill profile and for producing a long list of personal bests and Olympic Trials qualifying times.
With roughly two months between races, Dauwalter will have her first real opportunity to train specifically for the road marathon distance. Expect her to tweak her pacing, nutrition, and recovery strategies, something she didn’t have time to do before Twin Cities, which came only weeks after her 10th-place finish at UTMB.
A Natural Curiosity
For an athlete who’s spent the past decade dominating races over 100 miles, this continued foray into marathoning fits perfectly with Dauwalter’s personality. She’s known for embracing discomfort and approaching each event with what she calls “joy and curiosity.”
The fact that she’s diving into another marathon so soon isn’t about chasing times or road titles, it’s about exploring what’s possible. Her first marathon proved she can translate her legendary endurance to the road. Now, CIM will test whether she can add speed to that mix.
What to Watch at CIM
- Improvement over Twin Cities: With more time to prepare and better conditions, Dauwalter could shave several minutes off her debut time.
- Course familiarity: The fast, rolling terrain at CIM could play to her strength in managing sustained effort over long stretches.
- Race goals: Whether she aims for a specific time or simply another learning experience remains to be seen.
Regardless of outcome, Dauwalter’s presence adds extra intrigue to CIM, a race already stacked with Olympic hopefuls and fast amateurs.
Courtney Dauwalter is still the reigning queen of the ultra world, but it seems she’s not done experimenting. From mountain trails to marathon pavement, she’s proving once again that curiosity might just be her greatest superpower.
