California International Marathon takes place on Sun, Dec 6, 2026 in Sacramento, United States. The main route is 42.2 km.
- Date
- Sun, Dec 6, 2026
- Start
- Sacramento 🇺🇸
- Distance
- 42.2 km
- Climbing
- 202 m
- Level
- Open to all
The California International Marathon is a point-to-point, net-downhill course running from Folsom Dam to the California State Capitol in Sacramento, renowned as a premier Boston qualifier.
Official event pageWhat would it take you?
Pick the level closest to yours for an estimate of finish time on this course and the training a solid preparation needs.
Estimated finish
3:55–4:40
Peak-week training
5–7 h/week
A model estimate from distance, climbing and level, not a promise. Conditions, drafting and pacing move it.
IntervalCoach turns those weekly hours into a concrete plan built around your actual fitness. Start with this race as your goal
Your road to race day
Race day at California International Marathon is 15 weeks away. This is how a coach divides that time. The first phase starts now.
01Base3 weeks · Aug 24, 2026 – Sep 13, 2026
Aerobic foundation: mostly steady endurance work that grows the aerobic engine and the durability the later phases stand on.
02Build6 weeks · Sep 14, 2026 – Oct 25, 2026
Progressive overload: training load climbs in waves, with harder weeks stacked on the base and planned recovery weeks that let the gains land.
03Peak3 weeks · Oct 26, 2026 – Nov 15, 2026
The hardest weeks of the plan: race-specific intensity at nearly full training load, sharpening exactly what this race asks for.
04Taper2 weeks · Nov 16, 2026 – Nov 29, 2026
Volume drops while intensity stays: short, sharp efforts keep the legs awake as fatigue drains away.
05Race week1 week · Nov 30, 2026 – Dec 6, 2026
Openers, rest and logistics. The work is done; the job now is arriving fresh.
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