Over 3,800 female runners gathered on Shanghai's Nanjing East Road Pedestrian Street on April 25 for a 10 km night run. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Over 3,800 female runners gathered on Shanghai's Nanjing East Road Pedestrian Street on Saturday for a 10 km night run past the city's iconic landmarks including the Bund, Huangpu Riverside, and Nanpu Bridge.
The race marked the 2026 Shanghai stop of Nike's After Dark Tour (ADT) and the opening leg of the brand's global women's running series for the year. The Shanghai event rolled out two key upgrades: a new dual-partner "Sister Team" registration option, and the race's first-ever runner's first-person live broadcast. Elite athletes Li Na and Zhang Deshun joined everyday runners on the course.
"The route is unbelievable," Adam Antoniewicz, vice-president and general manager of Nike's running business in Greater China, said. "It's something I've never seen before and that's the unique advantage of Shanghai." He noted ADT is a global women's running platform spanning Sydney, Los Angeles, London, and other cities, centered on uniting female runners and spreading the power of companionship and confidence.
Over 3,800 female runners gathered on Shanghai's Nanjing East Road Pedestrian Street on April 25 for a 10 km night run. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
China's running market has posted explosive growth over the past decade, according to Antoniewicz, with women and young runners as its core growth drivers. "China is one of the most exciting markets in the entire world for Nike and we're excited to be part of it," he said.
Leveraging its Shanghai-based Nike Sports Research Lab, Nike has developed product innovations tailored to Chinese female runners. "We found there's a big difference between a man who is 90 kg and a woman who's 45 kg in how they experience cushioning response," Antoniewicz said. "So, we adjusted the airbag pressure on the Pegasus 42 to deliver more suitable and responsive feedback for female runners."
Over 3,800 female runners gathered on Shanghai's Nanjing East Road Pedestrian Street on April 25 for a 10 km night run. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Nike's Greater China Running category delivered double-digit growth amid a challenging overall quarter for the brand, Antoniewicz explained, with events like ADT acting as a key growth engine.
Following the Shanghai stop, the 2026 ADT series will roll out across more global cities, extending the community and empowerment of women's running to more participants worldwide.
Over 3,800 female runners gathered on Shanghai's Nanjing East Road Pedestrian Street on April 25 for a 10 km night run. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]