Runners spread across a city avenue during a marathon

California International Marathon (CIM)

195 km road marathon run from Folsom to Sacramento, California. Its net downhill profile, 112 m of drop, makes it the leading Boston qualifier in the country.

Prepare for CIM

A plan built from your answers and your race date.

marathon training plan

CIM links Folsom to Sacramento on a fully paved point-to-point course through California's Central Valley. The route descends steadily, in a series of gentle downgrades rather than one continuous slope. Run in early December, it benefits from cool and often stable temperatures, exactly the conditions runners want when chasing a time.

CIM carries 112 m of net drop across the full distance, which makes it the single biggest source of Boston Marathon qualifiers. Two formats are offered: the individual marathon and a relay over the same distance.

The formats

2 formats on the program.

Format	Distance
Marathon	26.2 mi
Marathon Relay	26.2 mi

Organizer information, checked on September 21, 2026 · runcim.org

When to start

At this distance, a build usually runs 12 to 20 weeks. The 2027 date is not published, so counting back from December puts the start around July 26, 2027.

These ranges are working conventions, not a research finding — no trial has compared plan lengths against each other. What matters more is that the plan was built for the weeks you actually have, rather than shrunk down from a longer one.

How to choose your start date

When to start

July 26, 2027

→ September 20, 2027

Worth reading before you enter

Races and distances 10K, half, marathon: what each one really asks They are all running. They are not the same event. What limits you, how long you need, and how the race falls apart — all three change with the distance. Read Races and distances The big marathons: what each one actually demands A marathon is 42.195 km everywhere. What changes is the profile, the crowd, the weather you are likely to get — and so what your training should emphasise. Read Training Eating and drinking: what’s proven, what isn’t This is where confident advice most often runs ahead of the evidence. Some of it is well tested. Some is opinion wearing a number. And one common habit can kill you. Read

Questions

What is the date of California International Marathon (CIM) in 2027?

The organizer has not published the 2027 date for California International Marathon (CIM) yet. The race is usually held in December, in Folsom / Sacramento.

Is CIM a good course for a Boston qualifier?

Yes. With 112 m of net drop between Folsom and Sacramento and cool early December conditions, CIM is the leading source of Boston Marathon qualifying times on the American calendar.

Other races

This list keeps growing; it draws no line. A race that is missing is prepared for in exactly the same way.

Lake Buena Vista (Orlando) · United StatesMarathon Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Jan 6 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend is a road-running weekend staged at Lake Buena Vista near Orlando, Flo Houston · United StatesMarathon Chevron Houston Marathon / Aramco Half Jan 17 The Chevron Houston Marathon is a road marathon run in Houston, Texas, alongside the Aramco Houston Half Miami · United StatesMarathon Life Time Miami Marathon & Half Jan 31 The marathon, half marathon and 5K are all run on a flat coastal course. Your race is not here? Tell us about your race You can prepare for it all the same. Any race, anywhere, and even a goal without a race.

Your race is on the calendar. Your plan should be too.

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