Garmin Run Hong Kong (Run Asia Series): Dates, Tickets & Venue (Hong Kong)

A December Sunday on Tolo Harbour

Ma On Shan is nothing like the Hong Kong on the postcards. Tall residential towers stand in rows along the western shore of Tolo Harbour, with the bare green ridge of Ma On Shan mountain rising behind them. On Sunday, December 20, 2026, the Garmin Run Asia Series brings its Hong Kong road race here, with 3K, 10K and 21K distances.

The race is one stop on Garmin’s Run Asia Series, which holds events in several Asian cities. In Hong Kong it uses this flat waterside district instead of the steep, traffic-heavy city centre. That choice matters to anyone who has tried running on Kowloon’s pavements.

Choosing between 3K, 10K and 21K

Each of the three distances suits a different runner:

• 3K: a short run that suits families, newer runners and anyone who wants a medal without a training block.
• 10K: the usual choice for regular runners after a quick, comfortable time.
• 21K: the half marathon, a proper test that takes most of the morning.

The organiser publishes the routes, start times and entry details for each distance on the Garmin Run Asia Series official site. Nothing in this guide adds to those, so the site is the source for the course map and the rules.

Reaching Ma On Shan by MTR

The district runs along the MTR Tuen Ma Line. The stations here are Tai Shui Hang, Heng On, Ma On Shan and Wu Kai Sha, and Wu Kai Sha is the end of the line. From Kowloon, runners usually change to the Tuen Ma Line at Tai Wai, or ride it straight through from Hung Hom or Diamond Hill.

Ma On Shan Station connects to the MOSTown shopping centre, which makes it an easy landmark for meeting people. Taxis from Sha Tin take only a short ride. Road closures on race morning are normal for any Hong Kong road race, though, so most people trust the train over a car.

What the weather does in late December

December is one of Hong Kong’s driest, mildest months. Mornings are cool rather than cold, the humidity of summer has gone, and conditions on the harbour front can be breezy. It is about as good as running weather gets in this city.

Here is what runners usually bring:

• A light layer or an old top to wear at the start and throw away or stash before the gun
• Sunglasses, because the low winter sun comes off the water
• An Octopus card for the MTR home, so there’s no queue at the ticket machine afterwards
• A change of dry clothes for the train back to the city

Race-morning manners in Ma On Shan

People live along this race. The towers lining the route are full of homes, so expect residents walking dogs and grandparents doing tai chi near the promenade. Runners give them room and keep warm-up shouting down before dawn.

Hong Kong road races start early in the day, mostly to fit around traffic, and the first MTR trains fill with people in race bibs. On escalators in stations, standing on the right and walking on the left is the firm local habit, even at 5am. Anyone walking at a drink station steps to the side so the runners behind can keep going.

Supporters along the route shout “ga yau!” (加油), the Cantonese cheer that literally means “add oil”. Runners shout it back to each other too. If you know one word of Cantonese on race morning, make it that one.

Before the start and after the finish

The flat Ma On Shan Promenade follows the shore of Tolo Harbour. After a race, it’s a gentle cool-down walk with a view across the water toward the hills of Sai Kung and the Plover Cove side of the harbour. Cyclists use the long cycle track that runs beside it toward Sha Tin and Tai Po, so keep to the pedestrian side.

For breakfast, finishers usually head into MOSTown or one of the nearby estates. A local cha chaan teng (茶餐廳) serves milk tea, macaroni soup and thick toast quickly, and you can order by pointing at the set menu on the wall. If your legs still have something left, Sha Tin, a few stops down the line, has the Hong Kong Heritage Museum and the riverside Shing Mun River promenade.

Ma On Shan Country Park climbs right behind the district, with trails up toward the mountain’s summit. Save that for another day. After a half marathon, the walk along the harbour is plenty.