As I write this, we are exactly two months away from the 2024 California International Marathon, which is plenty of time to implement the following CIM training tips into your schedule.
My goal here is to highlight the aspects of CIM that can be implemented into your training to make CIM race day feel as comfortable as a marathon can.
Also, I improve my CIM tips each year by listening to what other runners say post-race. As a prior ambassador and lover of CIM, I’m in tune with what has been overlooked on my part in the past.
So, let’s dive in to give you the best ways to implement some CIM training tips in 2024.
***Note: The CIM course is the same every year, so if you are reading this in future years, you can also implement these tips. If the course ever changes, I’ll update this post.
Why Take CIM Training Tips from This Guy
In my opinion, the California International Marathon is the greatest marathon in the world.
CIM is the Blue Collar Boston. – paraphrase from Peter Bromka
I’ve run CIM seven times, with three BQs and one sub-3.
I grew up in Sacramento, so I know the route well, having driven it for decades and running it. Not only that, but I know the weather, the course, the expected spectator turnout, the difficult and easy zones.
I know CIM like the back of my hand.
My CIM expertise allowed me to be a 2023 ambassador and I’m returning this year as an ambassador.
My primary running goal for the rest of my life is to help other runners have their best day out there at CIM.
I’ll be running CIM every year ’til the day I die.
CIM Pain Points Addressed Through Training
Two conversations at CIM 2023 impacted how I advise racing CIM today.
The first was pre-race at my unofficial pre-shakeout shakeout (yes, we are running it back the Friday before CIM at 4pm…more details to come). After the run, people were asking me questions about the race. I did my best to give them a bit of a preview.
However, I went a bit too far in my approach of scaring runners into slowing down in the first half of the race. One woman began tearing up worried that she wouldn’t be able to tackle this race. I quickly realized I was a jerk and went too far.
Now, I try to pull back my emphasis on the need to chill out on effort during the first half. That doesn’t mean it’s not applicable. I’m just not as boisterous.
The second lesson I learned in how I share CIM tips came about from a conversation with Tony Macias post-race. Tony ran a blistering 2:49, which is amazing, but he said he struggled to get there.
Tony and I were chatting after at the CIM breakfast, and he said something to the effect that he was told by myself and others that the hills would stop after 10 miles and they didn’t.
That’s my bad. I emphasize the first 10 miles because if I said the first 13 miles I feel like people would throw their hands up in defeat. That’s neither here nor there and I want all runners to be prepped for CIM.
As you’ll notice below, I’ve expanded and pivoted a bit to provide a bit more clarity.
Top 5 CIM Training Tips
Over the next 6-7 weeks of CIM training leading into your taper, these tips will help prepare you for the physical and mental aspects of the California International Marathon.
#1 Weekly Hill Strides
CIM will beat your legs up throughout the first half and you’ll feel it on the flat second half.
One way to combat this is to implement hill sprints once-per-week, with 4-8 efforts up a hill of about .15-.25 miles in length.
I typically include this after the run on the day before my long runs. This way, my legs will have some of that wear and tear going into the long run, mimicking leg fatigue. For example, let’s say my long run is Saturday so on Friday maybe I run a 7 miler and at the end of the 7 miles, I’ll run marathon pace up a .2 mile hill six times with a minute cooldown back down the hill.
#2 Mile Efforts on Back End of Long Runs
At my sub-3 in CIM 2021, my splits between miles 14 and 19 were my best. Why? The hills subside, and you can start to fly through fast miles at this point.
This was only possible as I started implementing tougher efforts in the back half of my training runs.
I learned to manage effort early, and that my body was capable of dropping the hammer post-halfway through the marathon distance.
In some of your long training runs, try to add a few back-to-back hard effort miles around miles 15-20.
Still implement cooldown miles in your training, but teach your body what’s possible after a half marathon.
#3 More Fueling Early
Due to the nature of the net decline of CIM in the first half, I believe many runners overlook fueling early.
Yes, all of us marathoners have been guilty of under-fueling early in a marathon, but this is exaggerated at CIM.
You don’t realize the fuel your body is using on the rollers until it’s often too late.
We can counter this by introducing hydration and gel intake earlier in long training runs.
For example, if you normally take your first gel at mile 5, try mile 4. Also, start drinking sips from your hydration within the first few miles.
There are plenty of hydration stations throughout CIM. It’s far better to take sips more often than try to chug and catch up on hydration later at CIM when your quads are already screaming at you from the rollers.
It can be annoying and not feel necessary. However, getting your body used to the feeling of fueling earlier into your long run will make the act more comfortable come race day.
#4 Efforts with Others
I’m 100% guilty of this to this day. Being that I’m an extra early morning runner in the ‘burbs, I don’t often get the chance to runner with others.
CIM is PACKED! It’s such a fast course and the packs of racers at all levels, all paces are huge.
This can be a good and bad thing.
If you normally run by yourself, you may feel uncomfortable in such large pacing groups on race day. However, the pacers can pull you to your goal.
If you have a local running group or running friends, try to run some speed workouts and long runs side by side.
Learning how this feels and how to work together can pay dividends at CIM.
#5 Rollers via Treadmill Hell
For some of you, you can mentally handle running on the treadmill.
For me, I go mad. (See: 2022 Boston Marathon training block from cold Colorado).
Thankfully, my typical long run route has some roller work, so I don’t have to rely on the treadmill to match the rollers of CIM.
For those that don’t have the ability to implement rollers outside, head to the treadmill.
Most treadmills have an automatic undulating option. I’d suggest a few miles of flat warm-ups followed by 30-45 minutes of the undulating setting to mimic the CIM rollers followed by a flat 15 minute cooldown.
Becoming familiar with the undulation will make what feels like constant rollers a walk in the park at the California International Marathon.
CIM Training Recap
Don’t be overwhelmed. Be prepared.
The shock on the legs in the second of due to the first half is what “gets” most CIM runners.
You don’t need to worry about the first half, but you need to make sure you are in control. This can be done through a bit of CIM-specific training.
I’ll have more CIM content coming over the next few weeks leading into CIM, but if you’d like some more info on the race now, check out last years articles California International Marathon Guide: How to Crush Your Running Goals and Ultimate Guide to the 2023 California International Marathon Weekend
I hope these CIM training tips have you celebrating (in less pain) come race day.
