Shanghai's female runners shine brightly After Dark

As dusk fell on a recent workday in Shanghai, nearly 3,500 women of varying ages from all over the city — having traded office attire for leggings and running shorts — converged on East Nanjing Road, where towering neon billboards glowed with the words: "After Dark Tour 2025".

Taylor Swift's Blank Space pumped out across the sea of people, who laughed, snapped selfies and stretched together in unison, their diverse identities merging into one common entity: women runners.

Organized by sportswear giant Nike, the event followed a 10km route that passed iconic landmarks, including those along The Bund, culminating at Miaojiang Road — a popular area among Shanghai's running community where local enthusiasts regularly gather.

This year, the ADT is bringing women's 10k and half-marathon night races to six cities.

Shanghai — with its thriving running culture, safe running routes and scenic urban trails — stands as the tour's sole Chinese event, alongside Sydney, Seoul, Mumbai, Los Angeles and Mexico City.

Held on April 27, the Shanghai event drew around 12,000 applications, with only around 30 percent of that number securing a place on the start line.

The tour aims to empower women by fostering female running communities, encouraging self-expression and building the confidence to overcome challenges.

During kit collection, participants received complimentary makeup services, manicures, personalized race wear and even a photo shoot.

As part of the pre-race experience, they could also join a six-week blended training program — that combined online and in-person sessions — specifically designed to provide scientific preparation through modules focused on endurance, speed and strength development.

"Tonight is a carnival for women," said He Wuga, a Chinese middle-distance runner who participated in the night run.

Cheered by the crowd lining the course, she was the first to cross the finish line.

"Events like this truly encourage women to run and be more active. For some of us, 5k might be too short, while a marathon seems too long.

"This 10k night run after work is perfect — it's just the right distance to relieve stress and shake off negativity," she added.

What surprised her about the event was the overwhelming number of cheer squads lining the entire route.

The course glittered with neon signs flashing motivational messages like: "The darker the night, the faster we run!"

He has achieved breakthrough performances in both international and domestic competitions in recent years. For instance, on April 29, 2022, she won the 10k at the Payton Jordan Invitational, setting the best time by a Chinese athlete in a decade. This year, on April 11, she claimed victory in the women's 5,000m final at the first leg of the National Athletics Grand Prix.

Growing up in the mountainous Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture, He credits her endurance to the high-altitude environment of her hometown, which strengthened her cardiovascular capacity.

As a Yi woman, she also draws inspiration from her ethnic heritage and the innate resilience and relentless spirit that comes with it, all of which has propelled her to take on bigger challenges.

Her fellow runner Ma Xiuzhen, also from Liangshan, participated in the 10k night run.

She reflected: "Events like this help women discover a whole new version of themselves — where they can showcase a different kind of strength and beauty."

Wang Ziwei, a Beijing resident whose previous running experience was limited to shorter distances, such as 3k, astonished herself by completing the 10k race in around one hour and 12 minutes.

"I never imagined I could finish a 10k, and I didn't even feel exhausted," she said.

"The incredible atmosphere propelled me forward from the very beginning."

Meanwhile, male running enthusiast Li Luyuan, who has competed in marathons domestically and internationally, watched the event from the sidelines as a spectator.

"I've seldom encountered such an electric energy at road races," he noted. "Seeing how these women enjoy this non-competitive event, with generous rewards for all, is truly inspiring," he added.

All registration fees from the event will be donated to the China Foundation for Rural Development to support their female empowerment initiative Boundless Girls, a program dedicated to providing transformative sports participation opportunities for young women across China.