California International Marathon course.
The marathon course for 2026 (6 Dec 2026): rolling, 100 m of climbing, point to point.
MarathonBQ course
- Distance
- 42.195
- kilometers
- Climb
- 100 m
- total ascent
- Descent
- 200 m
- total descent
- Profile
- Rolling
- Gentle ups and downs
- Layout
- Point to point
- Road
- Time limit
- 6 h
- to finish
- Start
- 07:00
- local time
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- times count for Boston
Racing it
Pro tips
- 01
Dress for a 7 a.m. Gun
The start is at 07:00 and typical race-day temperature is around 7C, so wear throwaway layers and warm up before you enter the corrals.
From the start time
- 02
Get to Folsom Dam
This is a point-to-point course starting at Folsom Dam, so arrange race-day transport to the start and decide what to do with your warm clothes.
From the layout
- 03
Respect the Early Rolls
The first miles are rolling, with about 100 metres of climbing across the course, so stay controlled on the ups rather than forcing the pace.
From the elevation profile
- 04
Save It for the Finish
The route drops roughly 100 metres from Folsom Dam to the State Capitol and runs fast late, so a negative split suits anyone chasing a Boston qualifier.
From the description
- 05
One Distance, One Plan
The marathon is the only distance on offer, so the whole field shares the same start and finish and you can plan your day around a single schedule.
From the distances
Written by AI from the course data. Check race-day details with the organizer.