The boom of women’s running is no longer measured only by the bibs pinned on Sunday mornings. According to Running USA, the search for pleasure is now the primary motivation for runners, ahead of pure performance. Strava, for its part, observed a 59% growth in run clubs, driven mainly by women under 25. The image of the runner changes, and the marks accelerate.
In this moving landscape, the return of Nike After Dark Tour serves as a strong signal. In 2025, this world tour of women-only night races brought together more than 50,000 participants in seven events on five continents. Nike has confirmed a new series of 10K and half marathons in London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Sydney, Shanghai, Manila and Mumbai for 2026. A very clear way to claim the night.
Nike After Dark Tour 2026: the 100% women’s running tour returns at night
The After Dark Tour is designed as a 100% female night racehalfway between an athletic meeting and an urban festival. On the program, 10 km in London, Shanghai, Manila or Mumbai and half-marathons in Los Angeles, Mexico and Sydney. Nike had already hosted a global women’s racing circuit between 2005 and 2015, before a decade-long hiatus. The brand is now putting this format back at the center of its running strategy.
The 2025 edition laid the foundations of the tone: nighttime starts, light displays, DJs, food trucks or concerts, like in Los Angeles where 15,000 women ran a half-marathon transformed into a block party. In London, nearly 5,000 participants completed 2.5 km loops on a route designed so that no one found themselves isolated. Everywhere, Nike highlights its latest running innovations dedicated to women.
A showcase of the global boom in women’s running
For the first edition of the After Dark Tour in 2025, more than 50,000 women took part in seven races spread across five continents. A third of them were competing in their very first timed event, and almost half said they entered because it was a women’s race. In Los Angeles, approximately 43% of the 15,000 participants were experiencing their first half marathon, the distance often considered intimidating.
In India, the Mumbai stage brought together more than 3,000 women over 10 km, making it the largest women’s race over this distance in the country. A training program led by Nike coach Diljeet Taylor grew a local group from around 40 to more than 400 runners, more than 60% of whom were beginners. Here too, the message is clear: occupy public space together, including at night.
What impact for French runners?
Even without a stop in France, the Nike After Dark Tour speaks directly to French runners. The 2025 London stage has already welcomed creators and influencers from France, while races like La Parisienne show that there is also an appetite here for formats designed by and for women. Between 100% female clubs, group nights out and apps, many are already taking inspiration from this wave.