Nike's After Dark Tour, a 10km race described as 'created for women' and a 'celebration of women who run', took place in East London on Saturday, October 17, with 14 men among the 5,000 participants, sparking criticism from female runners who say the event was designed to help women feel safe running after dark.
The London leg was part of a seven-city global tour. While the event centred on women and their experiences, participation was open to all, a spokesperson for Nike Running told Metro, adding that this was 'clearly communicated in our event terms and conditions'. The race featured women security staff, more ladies' loos than men's, running bibs designed for the female body, and finishers' medals designed to look like necklaces with matching earrings.
Safety fears drive women indoors
The event comes amid research from Sport England showing that every winter, safety fears push women indoors, which 'forces our worlds to shrink'. Almost three-quarters (72%) of women change how and when they get active once the clocks go back, with 20% constantly checking over their shoulders.
These fears are not unfounded. A 2025 study found that 67% of women have encountered some form of intimidating behaviour while running, from being followed to physical assault. Recent incidents include a woman sexually assaulted on a run in Suffolk in November 2025, a woman chased and attacked on a run in Cheltenham in February 2024, and a woman raped on a run in London in December 2022.
Female runners criticise male participants
Content creator Mara Hafezi, from London, who has been running for eight years, told Metro she has to make 'adjustments' at this time of year, including switching routes to busy streets and ditching headphones. She has experienced cat-calling and comments about how she should be running faster, and men trying to interrupt her sessions and run with her.
'Recently, I was finishing a run, and a man told me I should be getting home, so that I don't get raped. I'm not sure if he was genuinely trying to help, or not,' she said. Hafezi, who competed in Nike After Dark for the second year, said she saw four men on the course this year. 'I was tempted to say something, but instead, I just gave them a dirty look as I ran past them!' She found it 'frustrating' to see men take part, saying, 'It just shows how entitled some men can be. Just because you can do something, it doesn't mean that you should.'
Runner and content creator Paul Fisher shared a video on TikTok asking for an explanation from the male participants, calling their involvement 'Absolutely pointless'. TikToker Sule echoed the sentiment, saying, 'This whole thing is to help women get comfortable running after dark because of what men do. And then you thought it would be a good idea to sign up to run as a man, with all these women? Bro, you're a loser.'
Event praised by female participants
Liv Auston, 24, a runner from London, competed in Nike After Dark for the first time after taking up running in February. She told Metro the event lived up to her expectations. 'It was just wonderful. Everyone was so supportive — if someone was struggling, women were shouting words of encouragement. I saw friends holding hands to cross the finish line, and afterwards, strangers were congratulating each other. It was the definition of female friendship — I can't wait for next year!'
