School Districts Bus Runners to California International Marathon

00:00 AM - December 21, 2018

Buses lined up to transport runners at the CIM

It was an extremely cold morning in December when more than 9,000 runners participated in the California International Marathon (CIM). To help transport individuals to the start line at Auburn Folsom Road in Folsom, Rescue Union School District (RUSD) donated seven buses and seven dedicated drivers. RUSD Superintendent Cheryl Olson noted, “It is a privilege to be part of this annual celebration, and I’m proud of our drivers who went beyond the call of duty to make this possible.”

Bus drivers Mark Coverdale, Dee Spillers, Hank Schmidt, Kate Monier, Char Feigles, Debbie Hiscott, and Dave Guillen arrived at the bus yard at 4 a.m. to scrape ice from of their buses. They picked up the anxious runners at 5 a.m. at the Whole Foods in Folsom.

Patrick Cahill, RUSD Transportation Director, spoke to the drivers after the race and noted, “The drivers really love to meet and have conversations with these energetic runners. They are also enthusiastic about being part of something so grand.”

Mark Coverdale drove one of the buses and took several wonderful photos, “I enjoy photography and wanted to capture the experience for us to share.” 

Along with RUSD, the Buckeye Union School District and El Dorado Union High School Districts were among the 224 buses across the Greater Sacramento Area that transported approximately 11,200 runners. For more than 35 years, the CIM has been a premier marathon made possible by thousands of volunteers. The course runs from Folsom to Sacramento and ends at the steps of the Capital. El Dorado County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ed Manansala was among the runners and expressed, “I have run this race for several years, and I’m grateful for our school districts and all of the volunteers who made this another fantastic year!”

Back Back