16-Week California International Marathon Training Plan

Sacramento, CADecember 6, 2026

Start around August 16, 2026. The calendar below gives each phase a real date, then the course guidance shows where to make the build specific to California International Marathon.

CIM is the course American runners whisper about when they talk about qualifying for Boston: a point-to-point, net-downhill run from Folsom to the State Capitol in Sacramento, in reliably cool December air, with a field full of people chasing the exact same goal.

Race day
December 6, 2026
Start window
August 16, 2026
Runway
16 weeks
Course
rollers first, reward later
Plan choice
Current training

Does this window fit your starting point?

Use this window when you have a running base and want several weeks before the hardest marathon-specific work begins. The extra month over a 12-week plan creates more room for gradual long-run growth and recovery.

  • You run consistently enough that week one is a continuation, not a restart.
  • You want a distinct foundation phase before the biggest long runs.
  • You can protect your planned run days for roughly four months.
  • Your race date leaves the full window without forcing skipped weeks.

The 16-week California International Marathon calendar

These dates define the job of each phase. Your current mileage, recent longest run, experience, goal, and available days still decide the actual workouts inside them.

Foundation

Weeks 1–4

Aug 17, 2026–Sep 13, 2026

Establish repeatable weeks, keep most running easy, and begin extending the long run without forcing the pace.

Build

Weeks 5–10

Sep 14, 2026–Oct 25, 2026

Increase the weekly load, preserve step-back weeks, and introduce the terrain and effort the race will require.

Peak

Weeks 11–13

Oct 26, 2026–Nov 15, 2026

Complete the biggest race-specific weeks and use long runs to lock in fueling, pacing, and equipment.

Taper

Weeks 14–16

Nov 16, 2026–Dec 6, 2026

Bring volume down while keeping the weekly rhythm familiar. Training is finished before race week begins.

Make the window specific to California International Marathon.

Use the first month to establish consistency, then make long runs progressively more specific to the race's terrain and conditions. The course rehearsal should grow with the plan, not appear all at once in peak week.

Read the full race guide

How to train for CIM

Train rolling terrain at steady effort. The single most CIM-specific skill is letting pace float on rollers while effort stays level; practice it on every long run with terrain. Add some sustained downhill running so the eccentric load of a net-descent race day is old news to your quads.

December race, fall buildup: your biggest weeks land in October and November's ideal weather. Race morning is often near-freezing at the Folsom start with fog on the course; rehearse throwaway layers, and don't let a cold start trick you into surging warm.

Let your current training decide the actual plan.

Current mileage, recent longest run, marathon experience, goal, and available days determine which plans rank first. After you choose and subscribe, Stride dates every workout through December 6, 2026.

Build My Plan

16-week California International Marathon plan questions, answered.

When should I start a 16-week California International Marathon plan?

The 2026 California International Marathon is scheduled for December 6, 2026, so the 16-week window opens around August 16, 2026. Treat that as the outside edge of the window, then line week one up with the plan's normal weekly rhythm.

Is a 16-week plan long enough for the California International Marathon?

Use this window when you have a running base and want several weeks before the hardest marathon-specific work begins. The extra month over a 12-week plan creates more room for gradual long-run growth and recovery. The course does not change the opening load you can handle, so choose from your current mileage and recent longest run before adding race-specific terrain.

How should I prepare for the California International Marathon course in 16 weeks?

Use the first month to establish consistency, then make long runs progressively more specific to the race's terrain and conditions. The course rehearsal should grow with the plan, not appear all at once in peak week. Train rolling terrain at steady effort. The single most CIM-specific skill is letting pace float on rollers while effort stays level; practice it on every long run with terrain. Add some sustained downhill running so the eccentric load of a net-descent race day is old news to your quads.

What if the 16-week California International Marathon window has already started?

Do not double weeks or cram missed mileage into the remaining calendar. Use your current mileage, recent longest run, experience, goal, and available days to choose a plan that can enter at an appropriate point while preserving the taper.

How long do I need to train for CIM?

Most Stride marathon plans run 12 to 20 weeks, and CIM's December date gives you a prime fall buildup. Get matched in the app and every week from today to Sacramento gets mapped, including long runs you can point at rolling terrain.

Is CIM downhill the whole way?

No, and that's the trap. It's net downhill from Folsom to the Capitol, but the first 20 miles roll constantly. Runners who race the descents early blow up on the flat final 10K. Steady effort over the rollers is the whole strategy.

Put the 16-week window against your actual race.

Each page counts back from race day, maps the 4 phases to real dates, and applies the window to that course and its typical conditions.