California International Marathon training plan: course, start dates, and plan options
Sacramento, CADecember 6, 2026
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.
Answer a few questions, choose your plan, then create your account and subscribe to start training in Stride.
The secret everyone learns by mile 10: CIM is net downhill, not flat downhill. The first half rolls relentlessly, and runners who bomb the descents pay for it on the Capitol grid. Stride matches you to a plan that builds the legs, and the patience, this course rewards.
72 days to race day
California International Marathon · December 6, 2026 · about 10 weeks out
Your plan starts with your race and works backward. Every week lands on a real calendar, with race day at the end.
When to start training for the California International Marathon 2026
Race day is December 6, 2026, which is 72 days from today. Counting back from that date, here is when each length of build starts.
- 30-week buildWindow has passed
- 24-week buildWindow has passed
- 18-week buildWindow has passed
- 16-week buildWindow has passed
- 12-week buildshortest Stride acceptsWindow has passed
You have about 10 weeks until race day, which is inside the shortest build Stride matches. Stride won’t pretend there is room for a responsible full build. You can still use the finder to check your starting point, then choose a later race if this runway is too short.
Answer a few questions, choose your plan, then create your account and subscribe to start training in Stride.
Let’s find the plan for you.
Your race, current mileage, longest run, marathon experience, and available days decide the best fit. Stride maps the plan you choose to race day at the California International Marathon.
- Stride Run-Walk FinisherThree sessions a week with planned walk breaks, cover the full distance before race day.
- Stride First MarathonThe classic four-day first-marathon build: easy running and one weekly long run, no speedwork.
- Stride First Marathon PlusA first-marathon build with a little more volume and weekly race-pace miles.
- Stride 6-Day FinisherFinish your first marathon on frequency: six easy-leaning runs a week, no monster long runs.
- Stride 5-Day Pace BuilderFive days a week with race-pace runs before your long runs, built for a mid-pack time goal.
- Stride 6-Day RhythmSix days a week with three quality sessions, steady fatigue that teaches you to finish strong.
- Stride Time-Based FoundationFive time-based runs a week, mostly easy, the injury-averse way to a strong finish.
- Stride Time-Based BuilderSix time-based runs a week at a strict 80% easy / 20% hard split, chase a time goal without breaking.
- Stride 3-Day Cross-TrainThree runs plus two cross-training days over 24 weeks, marathon fitness on a busy schedule.
- Stride 3-Day QualityExactly three hard runs plus two mandatory cross-training sessions, every workout counts.
- Stride 6-Day CumulativeThe six-day cumulative-fatigue build with quality from week two, for PR chasers with a base.
- Stride Threshold 55The serious BQ/PR build to 55 miles a week: threshold work, medium-long runs, and 20-milers.
- Stride Threshold 70The high-mileage BQ/PR build to 70 miles a week for veterans with a deep base.
- Stride 2-Quality FlexTwo fixed quality sessions a week, everything else flexible easy running, fits any schedule.
Answer a few questions, choose your plan, then create your account and subscribe to start training in Stride.
Choose your California International Marathon training window.
Compare 12, 16, 18, and 20 weeks counted back from race day. The 18-week option includes the complete four-day schedule.
The course: rollers first, reward later
From Folsom the course loses a few hundred feet on its way to downtown Sacramento, but it does it in waves: the first 20 miles roll continuously, short downhills into short rises, over and over. The classic CIM line is that it's a downhill course that somehow includes a lot of uphill. The final 10K flattens onto Sacramento's street grid, straight and fast, with the Capitol pulling you in.
Run right, the rollers are free speed: relax down each descent, hold effort (not pace) up each rise, and the elevation loss accumulates quietly in your favor. Run wrong, hammering every downhill in the first hour, and the quads send the bill at mile 21 on the pancake-flat grid where there's nothing left to hide behind.
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.
Getting in
Open registration with a capped field: no lottery, no qualifying standards. CIM's reputation as the West's great qualifying course means it fills; register when you commit to the buildup.
California International Marathon questions, answered.
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.
Why is CIM famous as a BQ course?
Net elevation loss, cool December air, a fast flat finish, and a field dense with runners pacing for qualifying standards, so you will have company at your goal pace from the first mile. It's earned its reputation.
Does CIM require a qualifying time to enter?
No. It's open registration with a capped field that typically sells out, so sign up early once you've committed.
When should I start training for the California International Marathon 2026?
Race day is December 6, 2026. Counting back from that date, a 20-week build starts around July 19, 2026, a 16-week build around August 16, 2026, and a 12-week build around September 13, 2026. Already inside that window? Stride maps a plan from today to race day, whatever the runway.
How does Stride's California International Marathon plan work?
Download the app, pick the California International Marathon as your race, and answer a few questions about your recent running and your weekly schedule. Stride matches you to one of 14 marathon plans, maps every week from today to December 6, 2026, adjusts when life gets in the way, and puts you in a feed of runners training for the same race.
Choosing a training app?
A California International Marathon buildup is months of your life. See how Stride compares before you commit it to an app.
Find your plan.
Your race, current mileage, recent longest run, goal, and run days determine which plans rank first. Choose one and subscribe, then open every workout in Stride.