Known for being one of the fastest marathons in the country with it’s net downhill elevation profile, the California International Marathon (CIM) is a top choice for those chasing Boston Marathon and U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon qualifiers.
Look out for TRR Coach CJ Albertson as he ticks off his 6th marathon of the year (!!) on his hometown course. Of the last 5 CIM’s, CJ’s run 4 of them, including winning the race in 2023 and two runner-up finishes!
1. Pre-Race Zoom Call
With the California International Marathon (CIM) coming up soon, we’re bringing veterans and first-timers together to ask questions, share insights and build some excitement heading into race weekend!
Date: Monday, Nov. 24, 2025
Time: 7 p.m. EST
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/s/3883695228
2. California International Marathon (CIM) Race Intel
Date: Sunday, December 7, 2025
Location: Sacramento, California
Start: On the eastern end of the Folsom Dam, at the north end of Folsom-Auburn Road
Finish: In front of the California State Capitol in Sacramento
Course type: Point-to-point; take a look at this page for more course info
Boston Qualifier: Yes
Elevation gain: 663 feet/ 202 meters
Elevation loss: 1003 feet/ 305 meters
Temperature:
Average high: 56°F/ 13°C
Average low: 38°F/ 2°C
Tips from Coaches
Mile by Mile Guide from Coach Chris Poole:
- I highly recommend turning off autolap and using the manual split button on your watch and course markings to gauge your pacing. If you decide to use auto lap, subtract 2-3 seconds per mile from the splits listed below to account for gps and tangent error.
- Start off conservatively! The first mile is a downhill effort. The race day vibes are contagious, and it is easy to get sucked into the race atmosphere! Go in with a gameplan, and stick to it!
- 0-6 miles. The first 5-6 miles are pretty aggressive downhill, there are still a couple rolling hills but losing a lot of elevation. Start the race running conservative mile splits. CIM is a course i recommend focusing on 3 mile splits and not each individual mile, especially in the first 13.1
- Although the course is net downhill, there are some gentle rollers on the course. Make sure to check your effort +/- 5 seconds per mile depending on the part of the course.
- 6-12 miles. Rolling portion of the course. In general, I’d recommend letting the miles slip by around 5 seconds a mile here through here while maintaining a similar effort while you were running the first 6 milers. Only thing to note here, rolling hills stop at 10 and the downhill picks back up. Splits will likely pick back up naturally from 10-12. If they do, aim to hit what you hit for those first 6 miles.
- 12-18. Resumes the downhills. The section is much more even than not, it’s just a very smooth downhill.
- We are getting to the point where we want to start consciously progressing forward. You should begin making an intentional push forward. I Don’t make any big risks yet, but get yourself into a settled rhythm, pacing and effort. After 16, you should be able to gauge your effort, feel out where you are at in the race.
- Once you are at 18 miles, its all about cranking to the finish line. Gauge your effort, settle into goal pacing, and head home!
“They say CIM is net downhill. What they don’t tell you is that the first 10 miles are rolling hills. Train hills and you won’t notice them. Don’t train hills and listen to the hype about a “downhill race” and you will be very surprised at your finish time… and not in a good way.” – Coach Jamie Spruiell
3. Race Reports
Want even more intel on the California International Marathon (CIM)? Read some of the race reports from Team RunRun coaches:
CIM Race Report – Brandon Tower
CIM Marathon Race Report – Ava Sorell
CIM Race Report – Jarrod Ottman
California International Marathon Race Report – Keith Laverty
CIM Marathon Race Report – Noel Bautista
4. Shakeout Run
Date: TBD
Time: TBD
Location: TBD
5. CIM Coaching Info
At Team RunRun, we have 100s of wonderful, experienced coaches ready to help you crush your goals, regardless of your ability, budget, or lifestyle. Specifically, for CIM race advice, here are some coaches to start with:
In addition, see the official race website here for even more information.