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Nike’s empowering women’s half-marathon is returning to Sydney – and it’s gonna be huge

Nike is bringing its After Dark Tour back to Sydney on September 27, with registrations now open

Melissa Woodley
Written by
Melissa Woodley
Travel & News Editor, Time Out Australia
Women running in half marathon
Photograph: Supplied | Nike After Dark Tour
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Update Wednesday, April 8: Registrations have just opened for the Nike After Dark Tour women's half-marathon in Sydney. You can sign up online and find out everything you need to know below.

This one’s for the gals! Nike is taking its hugely popular After Dark Tour on the road again, and Sydney is one of seven lucky global stops. After the huge success of this exclusive, women-focused half-marathon last year – with 50,000 runners taking part globally – it’s safe to say the series is gonna be a big hit in 2026.

Nike's After Dark Tour has a long history in Australia, kicking off almost 14 years ago with its first-ever after-dark run for women – originally called Nike She Runs the Night – in Sydney. The series soon went global, lighting up major cities around the world until 2015.

After a long hiatus, Nike relaunched its beloved After Dark Tour last year, bringing back a celebration of women’s running culture that’s all about empowerment, competition and community.

Female runner on course
Photograph: Supplied | Nike After Dark Tour

Our Travel & News Editor Melissa Woodley was one of the 50,000 women who took to the streets worldwide, calling it her “most fun and feel-good race yet.” The 2025 Sydney race hosted 7,000 women alone, including Olympian Sinead Diver, Australian of the Year Grace Tame and champion Isobel Hume. But you don’t need to be a pro athlete to sign up for this empowering half-marathon. It’s incredibly inclusive, and Nike helps you stay motivated by connecting with fellow participants in the lead-up.

The 2026 event begins at 5pm on Sunday, September 27. The immersive 21.1-kilometre course will start in Rozelle Parklands and offer epic views of the city skyline as runners race from White Bay to Jones Bay Wharf to Pyrmont Bridge. Upon crossing the finish line at Tumbalong Park, participants can run straight into an epic post-race celebration, pumping with live music, recovery stations and fierce female energy. You can register now via the After Dark Tour website.

Nike will also be hosting half-marathons in Los Angeles and Mexico City, alongside ten-kilometre events in Shanghai, London, Manila and Mumbai.

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