The San Silvestre Vallecana 2025 will once again take over the streets of Madrid on 31 December 2025, confirming its status as Spain’s most iconic 10K and one of the world’s most prestigious road races. Since 1964, the Nationale-Nederlanden San Silvestre Vallecana has combined top-level athletics, fancy dress, music and a unique atmosphere to say goodbye to the year on the run.
With more than 40,000 runners between the mass race and the international elite race, a route linking the Santiago Bernabéu area with the heart of Vallecas, and a World Athletics Gold Label, San Silvestre Vallecana is much more than just another 10K. It’s a tradition that marks the end of the season for thousands of runners.
Date, schedule and race formats for San Silvestre Vallecana 2025
San Silvestre Vallecana 2025 keeps its traditional slot on the last day of the year:
- Date: Wednesday, 31 December 2025.
- City: Madrid, Spain.
- Distance: 10 km.
- Races: a mass participation popular race and a high-level international race.
The event is split into two distinct races:
- Popular race: open to thousands of runners, with a festive vibe, costumes and all kinds of paces.
- International race: a 10K for athletes with qualifying times (usually sub-39’ for men and sub-45’ for women), with a later start and a finish inside Rayo Vallecano’s stadium.
The organisers proudly call it “the best 10K in the world”, and there’s solid backing for that claim: a World Athletics label, a historic route and a night-time New Year’s Eve setting with Christmas lights all over the city.
San Silvestre Vallecana 2025 course: from Bernabéu to Vallecas
The San Silvestre Vallecana 2025 course sticks to its classic blueprint: 10 urban kilometres linking the Santiago Bernabéu area with the Vallecas district. The mass race finishes on Candilejas Street, while the international race finishes inside Rayo Vallecano’s stadium.
In broad strokes, the route looks like this:
- Start: around Avenida Concha Espina / Santiago Bernabéu stadium.
- Opening section: gentle downhill along Paseo de la Castellana towards Plaza de Colón and Cibeles.
- Central segment: through some of Madrid’s most emblematic streets, fully lit up for Christmas and packed with spectators.
- Final section: heading towards Puente de Vallecas and then up Avenida de la Albufera, the race’s famous climb.
- Finish: Candilejas Street (popular race) or inside Rayo Vallecano’s stadium (international race).
First half: fast 5K through central Madrid
The opening kilometres of San Silvestre Vallecana 2025 are fast and enjoyable: a gentle downhill, good tarmac and wide avenues that make it easy to hit your target pace without too much weaving. If you’re chasing a personal best, this is where you lock in your rhythm while keeping something in reserve.
Second half: the Vallecas climb, the race’s signature
The decisive part of the course comes in the final third. The climb towards Vallecas—particularly Avenida de la Albufera—makes the splits slower and forces you to manage your effort carefully. This is where you need to focus on perceived effort rather than the pace on your watch.
In return, the atmosphere is electric: locals lining the streets, music, drums and cheering that turn the climb into a tunnel of noise. If you arrive at this point with some energy left, you can claw back a few seconds in the flat stretch before the finish.
How to register for San Silvestre Vallecana 2025
Registration for San Silvestre Vallecana 2025 is handled through the official website sansilvestrevallecana.com, with separate prices and quotas for the popular and international races.
- Popular race: open to the general public. Bibs typically sell out in advance, especially the earlier waves.
- International race: requires proof of a qualifying time (10K, 5K or equivalent track event) and offers a more performance-focused environment, with fewer runners and more space to chase fast times.
Specialised portals such as Runnea and race calendars like ClubRunning also provide helpful info on course details, schedules and training tips specifically for this 10K.
Atmosphere and race experience: why Vallecana is so special
Beyond the numbers, San Silvestre Vallecana 2025 is an emotional experience. It’s run at night, under Christmas lights, with cool temperatures and a city fully committed to sending off the year on the run.
- Over 40,000 bibs: it’s the largest running event in Spain.
- Party meets performance: music, DJs, costumes and groups of friends turning the 10K into a moving street festival.
- Top-class athletics: the international race attracts world-class athletes; in 2024, Berihu Aregawi and Marta García took impressive wins, reinforcing Vallecana’s status as a global reference over 10K.
- New Year’s Eve backdrop: running along Castellana, Cibeles and into Vallecas on 31 December is a unique way to experience Madrid.
Tourism sites like Madrid’s official tourism portal consistently highlight San Silvestre Vallecana as a must-do event for both locals and visitors who want to combine sport and celebration on New Year’s Eve.
Race strategy for San Silvestre Vallecana 2025
The mix of a fast opening section and a demanding finish makes San Silvestre Vallecana 2025 a race where pacing is crucial. Here are some key points:
1. Keep the early kilometres under control
- Even though the first few kilometres are downhill, avoid going much faster than your target pace early on.
- In the popular race, the field is dense: focus on finding your spot and don’t waste energy weaving in and out.
- In the international race, consider the first 5K as an investment so you can attack the final climb with strength.
2. Manage the Vallecas climb
- From roughly kilometre 7 to 9, the gradient increases: think about controlling effort rather than holding a specific pace.
- Break the climb into smaller chunks—lamp post to lamp post, corner to corner—to make it mentally manageable.
- Accept that this split will be slower; the real goal is reaching the top without blowing up.
3. Finish strong in the last kilometre
Once you crest the climb, the final kilometre invites a push. With crowds on both sides and the finish line close, you can gradually tighten the pace and cross the line knowing you’ve emptied the tank.
Running a night-time 10K: nutrition and weather on 31 December
One of the quirks of San Silvestre Vallecana 2025 is that it’s held in the late afternoon or evening, after lunch. That makes pre-race nutrition a bit more complex than in morning events—but it also means you’ll enjoy ideal cool conditions for running.
- Temperature: typical race-day conditions are 5–10 °C at the start, possibly cooler at the finish—near perfect for hard efforts.
- Food: sports nutrition experts recommend a lunch rich in easily digestible carbs (white rice, plain pasta, white bread) and avoiding heavy, fatty or high-fibre meals to reduce digestive issues during the race.
- Hydration: drink water steadily throughout the day and consider drinks with electrolytes if you’re used to them, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
- Clothing: lightweight long sleeves or a technical short-sleeve top with gloves is usually enough; you’ll warm up quickly in the opening kilometres.
How long do you need to prepare for San Silvestre Vallecana 2025?
If you’re reading this with a little over a month to go, there’s still time to prepare for San Silvestre Vallecana 2025 in a smart way. Many coaches point out that 6 to 10 weeks are enough to get ready for a 10K if you already have a basic fitness level.
- Beginners: 8–10 weeks with 3 runs per week (easy runs, some technique work and gentle hill or fartlek sessions).
- Intermediate runners: 6–8 weeks with 3–4 sessions (including one quality workout per week: intervals, tempo or fartlek).
- Advanced runners: 4–6 weeks of specific work at and faster than race pace, plus strength and short intervals to boost running economy.
The 10K distance is booming worldwide—recent performances like Laura Luengo’s 30:59 on a downhill course in Madrid underline how this distance blends speed and endurance for both elites and recreational runners.
How SnapRace can help you prepare for Vallecana
If you want to line up at San Silvestre Vallecana 2025 with a structured yet flexible plan, tools like SnapRace can build a dynamic training plan tailored to your goals, weekly schedule and how you actually feel as the weeks go by.
- Answer a few questions and get a personalised plan based on your level and availability.
- Follow clear, guided sessions directly from your phone.
- Let the plan adapt to you: if one week you can’t train as much, the following weeks adjust accordingly.
If you’re also into longer distances, our blog already covers major events like the New York City Marathon 2025. San Silvestre Vallecana can be the perfect fast and festive finale to a marathon-focused season.
Is San Silvestre Vallecana 2025 worth it?
If you’re a runner living in Spain—or simply looking for a unique way to experience Madrid—the short answer is: absolutely. San Silvestre Vallecana 2025 brings together everything that makes a road race special: history, atmosphere, a challenging yet achievable course and the feeling of being part of one of the world’s most important 10K events.
Whether your goal is to break 40 minutes, finish your first 10K or just see out the year with friends, Madrid will be waiting on the night of 31 December with 10 kilometres of lights, noise and stride after stride—the perfect way to step into 2026 with fresh legs and a clear mind.