Own the Night | Championing Women's Running & Safety Across Wales

Women’s running across Wales is at an all-time high, with more females than ever before regularly lacing up their trainers to enter mass participation races, join clubs and groups, or to simply run for their physical and mental wellbeing.      

It’s been well documented that women’s participation levels in the winter months (particularly in running) decrease due to the darker nights and a nervousness to run in unlit, unsafe locations. According to This Girl Can research, almost three quarters (72%) of women in the UK change their activity behaviour during the winter months and “One in four (24%) ensure to take well-lit routes, almost a quarter (23%) avoid certain areas altogether and one in five (20%) glance behind them to ensure they’re not being followed”. Adding to this a recent report by Our Streets now found that 93% of those surveyed experienced some form of public sexual harassment while running. There is clearly work that needs to be done to ensure that running is accessible and safe for all that want to participate.     

 We want to change this by empowering women and increasing their confidence to continue to be active from the Autumn onwards. To do this we’re launching a national campaign, Own the Night, starting in the early Autumn to raise awareness of women’s safety whilst running. 

The key aims of the Own The Night campaign are:    

1. Raise awareness of women’s safety concerns when running at night or early mornings.
2. Empower women to continue running through the winter months with confidence.
3. Educate running communities and the wider public on allyship and practical ways to support women.
4. ‘Reclaim the streets’ – encourage groups and clubs across Wales to host a group run on Sunday 26 October, the day the clocks go back.

Top Tips To Keep You Running Safely Through The Winter

Download Our Safety Running Guide

How To Get Involved:

Online Webinars

• 14 October - Making our Streets Safer to Run On - a webinar hosted by Welsh Athletics with local Police Forces: Sign up form 

• 22 October - Our Streets Now Webinar -  Sexual Harassment as a Barrier to Running & Exercise in Public Spaces: Sign up form 

• 29 October - Route Buddies Webinar – a running safety app, hosting a webinar on the benefits of the app and how to get involved in using it:  Sign up form 

Own The Night Group Run - Sunday 26 October 2025

Welsh Athletics wants to unite running clubs and groups across Wales to join us for a run the night the clocks go back.

The evening will be a celebration of running, to empower women and their allies to reclaim the narrative that women can run whenever and wherever they like (and should be able to do so without fear!).

We will be working with running groups and clubs across Wales to encourage everyone to sign up for this national event. We’d love your running club or group to host a fun, safe running session this evening, within their local areas. To support you, we will send out some resources and guidance.

We would also love individuals or small groups of friends to get together and run on the evening of the 26th October. If you do, please also sign up!

Register your group or individual run here

We will also be hosting three events across Wales where groups and clubs are welcome to come together and 'reclaim the streets' in unity.

Sign up for the South Wales event in Cardiff

Sign up for the North Wales event at Colwyn Bay

Sign up for the West Wales event in Swansea

More events coming soon!

Share Your Experiences - Survey Input

Jog On Survey - South Wales Police

The survey is looking at women’s safety when running; their experiences and use of running groups, confidence in reporting any issues and what South Wales Police could do to help improve feelings of safety when out running.

Fill in the survey - Welsh

Fill in the survey - English

Street Safe Survey - South Wales Police

StreetSafe is a service that allows you to report safety concerns in public places without giving us your name (anonymously). This includes issues like poorly lit streets, abandoned buildings, or vandalism, as well as instances where you feel unsafe due to someone following or verbally abusing you.

Fill in the survey