Sada stages a charity night race and 5K in 2026

Plan your race pace

Sada will host a new edition of its Christmas night race on Dec. 18, 2026, bringing popular athletics and solidarity together around As Brañas. Children’s events are scheduled for 7 p.m., followed by the five-kilometre main race at 9 p.m. Registration proceeds will be donated in full to the Spanish Red Cross and Cáritas, according to information released for the event.

The event, known by the Galician slogan Ninguén sen Nadal, offers a sporting alternative to December’s usual activities and brings runners of different ages together. The date and main schedule are confirmed; public details about the entry fee, registration period, exact course and sign-up process have not yet been released. Those details will be needed to plan participation fully.

Confirmed date, location and times

The event will take place on Friday, Dec. 18, 2026, at As Brañas in Sada, a municipality in A Coruña province. The schedule has two main time slots: children’s categories start at 7 p.m., and the adult 5K begins two hours later, at 9 p.m. The timing means the event will unfold after dark, in the distinctive atmosphere of a night race.

As Brañas is the named location, but the available information does not give a precise start or finish address within the area. It also does not describe the route, number of laps, road closures or services along the course. For now, the clearest sporting detail is the main race distance: five kilometres, a manageable length for new runners and a short enough event to fit into a family evening.

The race falls in the heart of the Christmas season, when daylight fades early and temperatures in Galicia often drop. At an event of this kind, the organisation of the venue, visibility and spacing between runners are particularly important. The published start times do not establish how long the full event will last: children’s races are divided by age group, and their individual distances and start times have not yet been announced.

A Christmas race with a charitable purpose

The event’s defining feature is not only running after dark but linking participation to a social cause. Information released for the race says registration proceeds will be donated in full to the Spanish Red Cross and Cáritas, organisations that work with people in vulnerable circumstances. Each entry therefore supports a community initiative at a time of year associated with gatherings and celebration, but one that can also intensify financial hardship and loneliness.

The Galician slogan, Ninguén sen Nadal, expresses the aim of extending solidarity beyond the finish line. The race makes charitable action visible through a shared activity: families, recreational runners and spectators can gather in the same place, even if not everyone enters the competitive event. Sport becomes a point of connection, while the donation of all registration proceeds gives the evening a purpose beyond results and pace.

The published information does not specify the entry fee or whether adults and children will have different registration options. It also does not say whether additional donations or a noncompetitive option will be available. The final amount received by the charities therefore cannot yet be calculated. What has been announced is the commitment to donate all registration proceeds, an important detail for people considering the charitable impact of taking part.

An event for several generations

The schedule includes a dedicated start for children at 7 p.m., before the main race. Their participation makes the evening more than an adult night-time 5K and gives it a family dimension. Earlier editions have featured age groups and adapted distances, but the information available for 2026 does not yet confirm the children’s categories or courses.

That distinction matters to families who need to know whether each runner will cover a distance suited to their age, whether categories will start together or whether races will be run in waves. The general schedule sets the timing for the evening, but it cannot replace regulations detailing the conditions of participation. Until those are published, 7 p.m. should be treated as the announced start time for the children’s events, not as confirmation that every age group will begin then.

The five-kilometre main race offers an accessible format for runners with different levels of experience. It does not require the preparation of a half-marathon or centre the event on a long distance, although running at night brings different conditions from a daytime competition. Pace, terrain perception and visibility can all change with lighting and weather. The distance is short, but awareness of the surroundings remains essential, especially if the route includes uneven sections or crossings, details that have not yet been specified.

Course and registration details still to come

For now, As Brañas is the specific location, but no course map or exact start-line position has been released. There is also no confirmed information about the surface, elevation or whether the route will be entirely urban. The previous edition listed by the Galician Athletics Federation was classified as a road race, but that 2024 classification does not confirm every detail of the 2026 course.

The same caution applies to registration. No sign-up platform, closing date, participant cap, fees or bib-collection instructions have been announced. Since the money raised will support charitable causes, the entry price and terms will help runners understand how their contribution is structured. Those details should not be inferred from past editions or other activities run by the club.

It is also not yet known whether there will be a bag drop, refreshments, medical support, reserved parking or a designated spectator area. Services can vary significantly depending on the course and the organisers’ resources, even at a popular five-kilometre race. The confirmed information is enough to plan around the date and main times; the regulations will be the essential reference for practical details before attending.

A December event with a growing history

The race has been part of Sada’s sporting calendar for several seasons. Available records identify the 2019 event as the fifth edition, those in 2020 and 2021 as the sixth, 2022 as the seventh, 2023 as the eighth and 2024 as the ninth. The 2020 event was held virtually, an adaptation that changed the in-person format during a year shaped by public health restrictions.

This history helps explain why the race is recognised as a recurring fixture in the local Christmas calendar. The edition announced for 2026 is presented as the 10th, continuing the numbering used by Club Atletismo Sada. Beyond the count, the event’s longevity reflects a lasting connection between athletics and solidarity, maintained through in-person races and that virtual edition.

The federation’s record for the ninth edition places the race in Sada on Dec. 20, 2024, and classifies it as an autonomous road event. That date should not be confused with the 2026 event, confirmed for Dec. 18. Dates often vary between editions as sporting calendars adapt to weekends, holidays and local availability; for this event, the valid date is the one announced for December 2026.

What to consider when running after dark

Darkness changes the experience of running, even over a short distance. Contrast is reduced, it can be harder to anticipate uneven surfaces, and runners may have a poorer sense of the course boundaries. The route lighting and marshals’ instructions will be important, as will adapting stride to the visible terrain. A night start does not by itself mean runners must bring their own lights; that requirement or recommendation can only be established once the regulations are available.

December weather in Galicia adds another variable: rain, humidity, wind and cold can coincide, although the conditions cannot be forecast months in advance. Clothing should allow comfortable movement and provide warmth before the start without causing overheating during exertion. A layer that can be removed after finishing is useful at many winter races, especially when waiting for family members or an awards ceremony after running.

It is also sensible to arrive with enough time to find the start area and follow organisers’ instructions, particularly when attending with children. There is no confirmed information about when the venue will open or when bibs can be collected, so those arrangements will need to be checked once operational details are released. At an event with children’s and adult categories, coordinating family schedules can matter as much as the sporting preparation.

A night of athletics for the local calendar

Sada’s event brings together three familiar elements: a five-kilometre race, children’s events and fundraising for social organisations. That combination explains its appeal without presenting it as an elite competition. Some runners may use it to keep up their routine in December; for others, it may be a first experience of a community race or a shared family activity.

The night-time setting also changes the rhythm of a local event. Lights, cold weather and the gathering of participants around As Brañas create a different atmosphere from morning races, although the precise details will depend on the course and the staging of this edition. Night is not merely a backdrop: it shapes visibility, logistics and the experience of runners and spectators.

With the date and main times announced, the next details to look for are the regulations, registration system and final course map. Until then, the central information is clear: Sada will hold its Christmas athletics event on Dec. 18, 2026, with children’s races at 7 p.m. and the 5K main race at 9 p.m. The evening aims to make solidarity part of the route, with all registration proceeds going to the Spanish Red Cross and Cáritas.