The 47th San Silvestre del Masnou has a date and start time

Plan your race pace

El Masnou’s holiday race returns on December 26, 2026, starting at 10:30 beside Ocata train station, in front of the town hall. The main event will cover 5 kilometers, and the available information also lists children’s races from 11:30. The upcoming event is identified as the 47th edition in the information published for the next race.

The course is described as a certified race with just two turns, starting in the direction of Montgat. The later schedule sets aside the children’s events, which will head toward Premià de Mar. There is also an important practical condition: race bibs will not be handed out on race day, so collection will need to be arranged in advance, following the instructions issued by the organizers.

Confirmed date, schedule and details

The San Silvestre del Masnou will take place on Saturday, December 26, 2026. The 5-kilometer race is scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m., while the children’s races will begin at 11:30 a.m. The published information already confirms the date, start location and general schedule, although it does not cover every logistical detail for the day.

The start will be beside Ocata station, in front of El Masnou Town Hall. This gives runners and spectators an easy-to-recognize meeting point and makes public transport a convenient option. The detail is particularly useful on a holiday morning, when traffic and parking may affect arrival times: it is worth allowing extra time for the journey, rather than assuming spaces will be available near the start.

The main race is listed as a certified 5K. The organizers describe a course with two turns, a layout that can help keep the race moving smoothly and limit sharp changes of direction. The route will head toward Montgat, but the brief information does not give a street-by-street map or confirm other operational details, such as a time limit, start corrals or the exact bib-collection process.

What to expect from the 5K

A five-kilometer course lets runners experience the atmosphere of a community race without the preparation required for a longer distance. In El Masnou, the event is set on a certified course with a relatively simple layout in terms of turns: only two changes of direction are listed. That may help runners hold their pace, although performance will also depend on fitness, weather and the number of participants.

Certification provides a useful reference for runners comparing times or tracking progress over a recognized distance. It does not mean every participant will automatically achieve a personal best; the start, available space and how each person feels on the day all play a part. The most sensible basis for interpreting the clock is that this is a certified 5-kilometer race, without assuming additional features that have not been confirmed.

The note that the course starts in the direction of Montgat indicates the opening stretch, but is not enough to reconstruct the full route. The reference information also does not include a detailed map, intermediate points or traffic restrictions. Anyone who needs those details should wait for the official instructions: the general description is not a substitute for the final route, especially when planning access or choosing a place to watch the race.

The start location and getting to Ocata

Ocata station and the town hall are the main landmarks for getting to the race. The start is beside both, in a familiar part of town, which can make it easier for participants and spectators to meet. Traveling by train reduces the need to rely on a car, although the rail timetable should be checked before setting off.

The central location also means the area may fill with runners, families and spectators during the morning. Arriving with time to spare makes it easier to find the access area and avoids rushing through a busy space. The information does not give a recommended arrival time or list road closures, so mobility and traffic details may depend on later notices from the organizers or the town council.

Families and other spectators should distinguish between being near the start and having guaranteed access to any designated area. No information here confirms spectator zones, a bag drop, toilets, parking or specific medical services. That absence does not mean those facilities will not be available; it means they are not included in the confirmed details: it is best not to plan around services that have not yet been announced.

Bib collection needs to be planned in advance

The most practical warning in the race information is clear: bibs will not be handed out on race day. A bib identifies each participant and, if it includes the timing system, records their passage at the start and finish. That is why leaving collection until the morning of December 26 is not an option listed in the published information.

The reference details do not yet specify the collection location, dates or opening hours, or whether someone else may pick up a bib on a runner’s behalf. They also do not say what documents may be required. Those points should be checked when the full instructions are published; conditions from previous editions should not automatically be carried over, because procedures can change from one year to the next.

The absence of race-day collection makes advance planning part of taking part. Runners traveling from outside El Masnou will need to fit collection around their journey, while local residents can arrange it more easily once the dates are known. For now, the only certainty is that bibs cannot be collected on race day, not what alternative arrangement will be provided.

Children’s races begin at 11:30 a.m.

An hour after the main race, children’s events are scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m., heading toward Premià de Mar. Their inclusion extends the program beyond the 5K and gives children their own place in the day. The available information confirms the time and direction of the start, but does not specify distances, categories or eligible ages.

Those details matter to families because they determine which event is right for each child and how long the activity may last. Without a published distance or rules, it is not possible to know whether there will be separate starts by age or what registration requirements will apply. The children’s start time has been announced; the detailed format has not yet appeared in the available information.

The one-hour gap between the adult race and the children’s events also means the morning needs some flexibility. Spectators can watch the 5K and stay for the children’s races, although the actual schedule will depend on the event logistics and instructions. To avoid confusion, it is best to confirm the exact location of the children’s start and any changes announced later.

A longstanding fixture on Catalonia’s race calendar

The San Silvestre del Masnou is part of the popular running events linked to December’s holiday calendar. Its date, December 26, gives it a distinct place among year-end races: it takes place during the Christmas season, when many towns organize community runs and the atmosphere often combines sport, leisure and family gatherings.

Information about the previous edition identifies the 2025 event as the 46th, while the 2026 race is listed as the 47th. That continuity helps explain the appeal of a race that brings together an accessible distance and a format suited to regular runners and occasional participants alike. Its history is part of the event’s appeal, but it should not be confused with information about the number of entrants or the availability of places in 2026.

The reference material also describes the event as one of Catalonia’s oldest San Silvestre races. That history helps explain its place on the regional calendar, but on its own it does not reveal participation numbers, registration availability or the conditions for this edition. Those details require specific, up-to-date information from the organizers.

What runners still need to know before registering

The date, main-race schedule, start location and 5-kilometer distance are included in the available information. However, the 2026 entry fee, registration period, participant limit and contents of the race pack are not listed. It is also unclear whether there will be a T-shirt, rental timing chip, bag drop or other services, so conditions from 2025 should not be assumed to apply.

The 2025 reference gives an entry price and participant limit for that edition, but those figures should not be carried over to the next one. Fees may change, as may the services included and the terms of participation. To make an informed decision, runners will need to check the specific 2026 announcement and confirm the total cost, deadlines and current rules before completing registration.

It also remains to be seen whether the event will publish a full course map, how bib numbers will be assigned and what arrangements will apply to the children’s races. The mention of a certified distance does not answer those questions by itself. Practical details are usually completed through the regulations and pre-event notices, which will distinguish confirmed conditions from those that have not yet been made public.

A race morning between Ocata and the coast

The start beside the station and town hall places the event in a recognizable urban setting, with the coastline as a backdrop to the town. The announced course has few turns and sounds straightforward to follow, but its elevation, surface on each section and exposure to wind have not been detailed. At a coastal race in December, the weather can affect how hard the effort feels, although it is impossible to predict conditions that far ahead.

Runners using the race to gauge their pace can treat the 5K as a short but demanding distance, where starting too quickly often catches up with them in the final kilometers. Others may approach it as a relaxed run or a way to spend the morning with friends. The event brings together those different aims, and the available information does not set minimum times for the main race.

The key details are simple: December 26, the adult start at 10:30 a.m. and children’s races from 11:30 a.m., beside Ocata station and El Masnou Town Hall. The remaining details — advance bib collection, registration, rules and services — will need confirmation in notices from the organizers. The 47th edition already has a clear outline, but its practical information still needs to be completed with official instructions.

Pending details will shape final preparations

With the date confirmed, participants can reserve the morning and start organizing their journey, but final preparations will depend on details not yet included in the published information. The registration period, entry fee and bib-collection arrangements are particularly important, as they affect both participation and logistics in the days before the race.

A full course map and details about access during the event will also matter. That information helps runners decide where to leave a car, which train to take or where to watch the race. These are not minor points at an urban event: they can make the difference between arriving calmly and losing time on the way.

El Masnou has confirmed the central details of its next event: a 5-kilometer race on December 26, starting at 10:30 a.m., with children’s events an hour later. The warning about bibs adds a condition worth noting from the outset. Once the rules and registration details are published, the full picture will emerge for a race returning to Catalonia’s holiday calendar.