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It's a Women's World?
In September 2020, a social media post went viral asking women: “What would you do if all men disappeared for 24 hours?” The overwhelming response: Walk or run freely at night. While this might seem surprising, the popularity of Nike’s After Dark Tour confirms that many women actively seek this sense of freedom and safety after dark.
Nike’s After Dark Tour, launched in 2025, saw 50 000 women take part in a women-focused running series in seven major cities around the world. It was created to bring female runners together, and give them a space to run, especially at night, in a way that felt safe, supportive, and empowering.
So what made the series such a success?
Firstly, it tapped into a real issue that many women don’t feel safe running at night. It allowed them to run through these cities and experience them after dark - a huge novelty for most women. Each city was given its own flavour from the course and pre-race activities to the post-run celebrations based around the city they were in. Running through central London after dark feels completely different to racing through Mumbai or Mexico City.
Secondly, it concentrated on more manageable distances – 10km and half marathons. In 2025, one in three of the 50 000 participants had never raced before. According to Marathon Handbook, Nike has long pushed the line, “If you have a body, you are an athlete.” This encouraged novices to take the plunge.
Thirdly, the series was purpose-built for women with everything from the vibe to the logistics designed around that experience. It was positioned as more than just a race but rather closer to a “running festival” or “girls’ weekend” experience. Nearly half of last year’s participants said the women-focused format was the specific reason they registered. Not the city. Not the distance. The fact that it was built for them.
Finally, it also coincided with a genuine boom in women’s running. Female participation in road races has been rising steadily for years, and brands are scrambling to keep pace with the growing demand.
After a hugely successful 2025 edition, Nike’s After Dark Tour is returning this year, once again spanning seven global cities: Shanghai, Sydney, Mexico City, London, Los Angeles, Manila and Mumbai.
In South Africa there is the success of the Spar Ladies Race. It was started over 30 years ago as a simple run to bring women of all ages, shapes and fitness together. It has grown into one of the biggest series in South Africa, rivalling even the Comrades and Two Oceans Marathons. They have kept to the 5 and 10 km manageable distance and as the event's popularity has grown, rolled it out to multiple cities across the country. Some of the events are sold out long before race day.
In a male-orientated world, these woman-focused events create a dedicated space where woman can run, compete and celebrate together. They unite women of all ages, backgrounds and abilities, creating a supportive environment that champions participation and achievement as much as competition. The sustained growth and enthusiastic turnout to these women’s races shows that they are deeply valued by women and are meeting a real and growing demand among female runners.
What do you need help with as an event organiser? If there is an area of organising you would like to know more about, send a mail to tim@finishtime.co.za and we will see if we can find some info for you.
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