CIM 2025

I ran 2:25:33 at the California International Marathon on December 7, 2025, with a 74-minute first half and a 71-minute second half. It was my second marathon, and I improved my personal best by 16 minutes (2:41 to 2:25). Here is a summary of the 12-week training block leading up to the race. My coach at the time, Stephane Colle, organized the build into three 4-week blocks. I averaged 107 km per week.

The main lesson for me was that 2:25 took less than I expected. I had run more volume in the past and raced worse. What made the difference this time was staying fresh and dosing the quality carefully: moderate (some would say low) mileage with two or three quality sessions per week. I have dealt with setbacks since I started running, partly because I began trying to run competitively while 70 lbs heavier, and partly from later bouts of overreaching. Getting through a full block without one mattered a lot. The block also built on a summer of mostly base training, with little work above threshold, while I trained for a 50k trail race. My best times the year before (2024) were 16:10 for 5k and 33:30 for 10k.

The block at a glance

Block 1, Week 1: September 15–21, 2025 (84k)

M - 8k easy @ 4:44/km
T - 12x400 with Steph
W - 10k easy @ 4:51/km
R - 8k easy @ 4:58/km with Amy
F - 2x3k
S - 6k easy @ 4:59/km
Su - 24k long run @ 4:08/km with 10AM crew

First week being coached by Stephane Colle. First week of Block 1 with two smaller workouts and a steady long run. Started to intentionally slow down my easy runs.

Quality sessions:

• 12x400 off 200 jog rec: 74-75-74-73-73-73-74-73-74-73-72-70 (3:00/km avg)
  • 5k pace workout with Steph. Reps felt controlled until the last few.
• 2x3k off 2’ rec: 10:20-10:19 (3:26/km avg)
  • LT workout. Was working harder than threshold on the 2nd rep to hold the pace.
• 24k steady: 4:08/km avg with a mild progression, last 4k at 3:56/km
  • Steady long run with David. Nothing crazy.

Block 1, Week 2: September 22–28, 2025 (94k)

M - Off
T - 3x mile, 3x800, 3x400 (16k)
W - 14k easy @ 4:47/km
R - High Park trail race + 2x5x30” hills (16k)
F - 12k easy @ 4:52/km
S - 10k easy @ 4:48/km
Su - 26k long run @ 4:12/km

Quality sessions:

• 3x mile off 1’, 3x800 off 2’, 3x400 off 90”: 5:39-5:39-5:39 / 2:33-2:31-2:32 / 72-71-70
  • Solo.
• High Park trail race (7.7k): 29:38, then 2x5x30” hills
  • Malcolm Hudson outkicked me.
• 26k long run: 4:12/km avg

Block 1, Week 3: September 29–October 5, 2025 (104k)

M - 10k easy @ 5:05/km
T - 5x mile + 4x200 (16k)
W - 12k easy @ 4:49/km
R - 10k tempo on the treadmill (18k)
F - 12k easy @ 5:00/km with Tommy Keith
S - 8k easy @ 4:52/km with Steph
Su - 28k with 8k pickup

Quality sessions:

• 5x mile off 3’, 5’ rest, 4x200 off 200 jog: 5:10-5:04-5:04-5:06-5:07 / 28-29-29-30
  • Solo.
• 10k tempo: 35:11 (3:31/km)
  • Treadmill.
• 28k long run: 20k @ 4:17/km, then 8k @ 3:38/km

Block 1, Week 4: October 6–12, 2025 (82k)

M - Off
T - 5x800 + 5x400 (14k)
W - 12k easy @ 4:55/km on the treadmill
R - 14k easy @ 4:47/km
F - 2x4k (17k)
S - Off
Su - 25k long run @ 4:24/km, first 16k with Amy

Down week to finish Block 1.

Quality sessions:

• 5x800 off 90”, 3’ rest, 5x400 off 200 jog: 2:29-2:27-2:28-2:27-2:31 / 70-72-69-69-70
• 2x4k off 2’: 13:40-13:40 (3:25/km)
• 25k long run: 4:24/km avg

Block 2, Week 5: October 13–19, 2025 (106k)

M - 12k easy @ 4:39/km
T - Off
W - AM: 6k + 6x1k (23k); PM: 6k easy @ 4:56/km
R - 14k easy @ 4:35/km
F - 12k easy @ 4:51/km
S - 8k easy @ 4:51/km
Su - Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon, 73:23 (31k with warmup and cooldown)

First half marathon, raced as a tune-up for CIM.

Quality sessions:

• 6k, 3’ rest, 6x1k off 90”: 20:57 (3:30/km) / 3:19-3:16-3:15-3:15-3:11-3:06
• Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon: 73:23, 34th
  • Ran with Erin Mawhinney for a while and watched her win. Cooled down with Amy.

Block 2, Week 6: October 20–26, 2025 (116k)

M - Off
T - AM: 10x1k (18k); PM: 5k easy @ 4:47/km with Scott Berkovich
W - 16k easy @ 4:53/km
R - 12k tempo in High Park (20k)
F - 12k easy @ 4:25/km
S - AM: 10k easy @ 4:22/km; PM: 5k easy @ 4:33/km
Su - 30k long run with 12k at marathon pace

Three quality sessions in six days.

Quality sessions:

• 10x1k off 1’: 3:16-3:14-3:14-3:14-3:14-3:13-3:15-3:15-3:14-3:16
• 12k tempo: 3:30/km avg
  • Cumulative fatigue was setting in.
• 30k long run: 18k @ 4:04/km, then 12k @ 3:28/km

Block 2, Week 7: October 27–November 2, 2025 (135k)

M - 15k easy @ 4:40/km
T - 6x mile + 5x200 hills (21k)
W - 12k easy @ 4:50/km
R - 2x5k, 2x2k, 1k (25k)
F - 7k easy @ 5:08/km
S - 16k easy with Tommy Keith, then Amy
Su - 35k progression (38k with warmup and cooldown)

Biggest week of the block so far.

Quality sessions:

• 6x mile off 2’, 5x200 hills off jog back: 5:07-5:07-5:10-5:09-5:09-5:12 / 33-33-34-34-33
• 2x5k, 2x2k, 1k, all off 1’: 17:30-17:29 / 7:15-7:04 / 3:32
  • Supposed to be 3x5k, but I did not have the last rep in me. Still a decent session. With George Scholey.
• 35k progression: 3:51/km avg, from 4:25/km down to 3:30/km
  • First 25k with George.

Block 2, Week 8: November 3–9, 2025 (118k)

M - Off
T - AM: 15x400 (22k); PM: 6k easy @ 4:47/km with Pacino
W - 15k easy @ 4:43/km
R - 5x3k (27k)
F - 12k easy @ 4:51/km + hill strides with Tommy Keith
S - 8k easy @ 4:23/km with Pacino
Su - 28k long run @ 4:05/km with George Scholey

Quality sessions:

• 15x400 off 200 jog: 71-69-71-71-70-71-71-71-71-71-71-69-70-70-69
• 5x3k off 90”: 10:09-10:04-10:02-10:00-9:53 (3:21/km avg)
• 28k long run: 4:05/km avg

Block 3, Week 9: November 10–16, 2025 (135k)

M - 10k easy @ 4:39/km with Pacino + 5k with 6x20” strides
T - 8k easy @ 4:53/km on the treadmill
W - AM: pyramid (18k); PM: 8k easy @ 5:11/km
R - 14k easy @ 4:44/km
F - 8k + 5k (21k)
S - 17k @ 4:19/km with Steph
Su - 34k with 16k at marathon pace

Tuesday was supposed to be 14k, but my stomach was off.

Quality sessions:

• 800, 1200, mile, 2k, mile, 1200, 800: 2:25-3:47-5:04-6:30-5:06-3:49-2:28, then 2:38-4:01 on the second set
  • Supposed to be two pyramids, but I blew up early in the second set.
• 8k, 1’ rest, 5k: 28:30 (3:34/km) / 16:58 (3:24/km)
• 34k long run: 18k @ 4:01/km, then 16k @ 3:29/km

Block 3, Week 10: November 17–23, 2025 (145k)

M - 10k easy @ 5:35/km with Pacino
T - AM: 7k easy @ 5:19/km; PM: 7x1200 (20k)
W - 22k easy @ 5:07/km
R - 4x5k on the treadmill (26k)
F - 10k easy @ 5:32/km
S - 13k easy @ 5:07/km with Pacino and George Scholey
Su - 36k progression

Peak week. Easy runs were very easy.

Quality sessions:

• 7x1200 off 400 jog: 3:47-3:48-3:48-3:49-3:48-3:53-3:53
  • Faded a little at the end, but still a decent session.
• 4x5k off 90”: 17:30-17:15-17:05-16:55 (3:26/km avg)
• 36k progression: 12k @ 4:10, 10k @ 3:51, 4k @ 3:40, 4k @ 3:35, 2k @ 3:29, 2k @ 3:25, 2k @ 3:23/km

Block 3, Week 11: November 24–30, 2025 (87k)

M - Off
T - 12k easy @ 5:21/km
W - 3x(3’ on/1’ off) (11k)
R - 16k easy @ 4:55/km with Amy
F - 12k easy @ 4:20/km
S - 8k tempo + 5x200 (15k)
Su - 21k long run @ 4:28/km

Start of the taper.

Quality sessions:

• 3x(3’ on/1’ off)
  • Supposed to be 15 reps, but that was not happening. I felt terrible.
• 8k tempo + 5x200: 27:09 (3:24/km) / 38-30
• 21k long run: 4:28/km avg

Block 3, Week 12: December 1–7, 2025 (81k)

M - 8k easy @ 4:27/km
T - Off
W - 5k + 3x90” on the treadmill (13k)
R - 8k easy @ 5:11/km
F - 4k easy @ 5:13/km with Pacino
S - 7k shakeout @ 4:14/km in Folsom
Su - CIM, 2:25:33

Quality sessions:

• 5k + 3x90”: 17:40 (3:32/km), 90” reps faster
• CIM: 2:25:33, 143rd. 74 minutes for the first half, 71 for the second.
  • I was thinking sub-2:30 would be a really good day. Nick Rupert hyped me up at 36k. Thank you to Stephane Colle for coaching me through this block.