Oxford Girls Running, an Oxford-based women-only running club, has reported a rise in participation as shorter, darker days bring more women to its group runs, saying more members choose to run together because they do not feel comfortable running alone after dark.
The club was established to provide women with a space to exercise in a supportive environment and says the importance of that community becomes particularly apparent during the autumn and winter months.
Speaking about the “huge increase” in numbers during winter, Harriet, founder of Oxford Girls Running, said.
“Oxford Girls Running is a run club for women. Our main aim in setting up the run club was to give women a space to feel safe and comfortable to exercise.
“Community is important throughout the year but particularly in the dark winter months. We tend to see a huge increase in our numbers during the winter as sadly many of our members don’t feel safe running alone in the dark.”
The club says the support extends beyond its organised sessions, with members arranging additional runs together so they can continue exercising without having to run alone.
The experience reflects wider concerns among women who run about exercising outdoors after dark. Research published in the British Journal of Criminology found that women runners reported changing their routes, running times and whether they ran alone because of concerns about personal safety.
“We see our girls continuing community outside of the run club, often arranging extra runs with each other so they can continue to feel safe. We hope we can continue being a community where we can safely run together.” Harriet added.
A 2026 House of Commons Library briefing on women’s safety while walking, wheeling, cycling and running also highlighted research showing that concerns about safety can affect how women exercise outdoors.
The arrival of darker evenings also brings practical considerations for runners, including visibility to other road and path users.
Oxford Girls Running recently partnered with reflective sportswear brand Proviz for a community run, with members wearing reflective accessories intended to improve visibility in low-light conditions.
The partnership comes as runners across Oxfordshire adapt their routines to the shorter hours of daylight. Local running groups also encourage members to consider visibility and routes when running during the darker months.
For Oxford Girls Running, however, the club says the primary benefit of running together is the sense of security and community it provides.
