Last month, SOAR Women lit up the night. Across Melbourne, London, New York City, Edinburgh and Warsaw, more than a hundred runners in each location came together to reclaim the night on their own terms.

Born in 2023 from a conversation between two friends: Rebecca Taylor of SOAR Women and Flo Papougnot of Hot Boys Athletics, Light the Night is a collective movement that creates an opportunity for women to feel free and safe, when running in the dark. A chance to fill dark, intimidating spaces with light and noise

As daylight slipped away, we gathered to share galvanising words and a spark of intent, then set off together - headlamps
glowing. 5 miles of usually off-limits terrain became a moving ribbon of light.  

Because winter makes the problem impossible to ignore. Short daylight hours force many women to adapt routes, squeeze runs into lunch breaks, or abandon training altogether. Safety is the barrier. In the UK alone, 70% of women runners say they’ve faced intimidation on a run, and nearly half report feeling unsafe.

So we ran. Together. 

In London, we followed the Hackney canal paths, ducking under bridges and through pockets of deep shadow. “There was such joyful energy in the group,” said Flo Papougnot. “Those unlit canals are pretty much a no-go, so taking up that space together felt really special.” 

Warsaw brought its own spark with the women of Polish running crew Swords Athletics. “In Poland, from November to March, our nights are longer than our days - we call them ‘grey days’” explains Sword’s Karol Chmielewski. “Daylight is limited, motivation drops, and running often feels harder and less safe. Light the Night gave us a reason to come together. We felt united. We felt stronger. We felt safe.”

Edinburgh’s route circled Arthur’s Seat in fierce wind and driving rain. “We came together under the glow of hundreds of lights - shining bright and bold - to reclaim our right to move safely through the streets after dark,” said Mhairi Maclennan, athlete and founder of safe sport organisation Kyniska Advocacy. “It was activism in action: community-powered, lighting the streets and impossible to ignore."

New York held its own tempo through the back roads of Brooklyn with Julia Meyer of NYC crew Point B Movement. “Even in a buzzing city like ours, it’s powerful to see people come together to run as a unified group on some of the darkest evenings.” said Julia.

In Melbourne, the group traced a bright line along the Yarra. “We don’t do a lot of nighttime runs” says says Natália Puga of Up There Athletics. “A lot of important conversations happened out there, and we want them to continue all year.”

Five cities, three days. One message: Women shouldn't have to stop running when the sun goes down.

Light the Night showed that together, we don’t have to.

With thanks to Knog, Interval Running, Kyniska Advocacy, Knees Up, Up There Athletics, Point B Movement, Swords Athletics.