MARCH 6 - 8, 2027
A free global running event for International Women’s Day
Choose your distance and run wherever you feel safe on March 6–8, 2027. Join runners around the world standing for every woman’s freedom to move.
The Safe Marathon is open to everyone, whatever your gender or running experience.
THE SAFE MARATHON IS NOT ABOUT TELLING WOMEN TO TAKE MORE PRECAUTIONS
It is about recognizing why those precautions are so often necessary and standing together for change. There is no single definition of a “safe” run. Only you can decide what feels safe for you. It might mean:
A TREADMILL OR INDOOR TRACK
SAFETY IN NUMBERS TO RUN AT NIGHT
STAYING CONNECTED ON THE PHONE
HEADING TO A REMOTE LOCATION
YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL ROUTE
RUNNING SOMEWHERE DENSELY POPULATED
A CREATIVE COURSE CLOSE TO HOME
SHARING YOUR RUN DETAILS WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY
FREEDOM TO MOVE IS NOT SHARED EQUALLY
The figures differ between places, but the pattern is global. Women’s access to public space is restricted by harassment, fear and the constant work of trying to stay safe.
92%
A 2023 global study by Adidas found that 92% of women feel concerned for their safety when running, and over half fear physical attack
68%
In a 2024 University of Manchester study, 68% of women had experienced intimidating incidents while running, such as verbal abuse or being followed
84%
In Queensland, Australia, 84% of women say they feel unsafe walking or running alone at night
YOUR RUN IS PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER
If you choose to donate your registration fee or set up a fundraising page for this event, the money you raise will directly support Free to Run’s work to advance gender equity globally through running.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Have a different question? Email us at info@freetorun.org!
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Not at all. Despite the name, you do not have to run 42.2km. Choose 5K, 10K, a half marathon, a marathon, or even set your own distance. You can walk, jog, run, or combine all three. The Safe Marathon is about taking part, not how far or fast you go.
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The Safe Marathon is NOT about telling women to take more safety precautions. It’s about recognizing why these precautions are necesssary and standing together for change.
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Only if you want it to be. You can set a time goal, run at a relaxed pace or complete your distance with other people. There is no single winner.
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Everyone is welcome, whatever your gender, running experience, or location. The Safe Marathon brings people of all genders together on International Women’s Day to stand for a world where every woman and girl can move safely and freely.
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Registration is free. You will have the option to make a donation or create a fundraising page when you sign up, but both are completely optional. Every donation supports Free to Run’s work to advance gender equity globally through running.
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The Safe Marathon is a virtual event, so you can participate wherever you are in the world. Complete your distance anytime between March 6 and March 8, 2027 - in your local time zone. You do not need to run at the same time as anyone else.
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That is completely up to you. Your Safe Marathon could take place on a familiar route during daylight, with a group, around your backyard, on a closed track, with your dog, or on a treadmill indoors. One past participant even ran in a dinosaur costume. Choose the place and conditions that feel “safest” for you, or that draw attention to the safety considerations women and girls around the world face. But please note - we will never ask you to put yourself at risk to participate.
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The Safe Marathon is not chip-timed, and you do not need Strava or any particular device. You can track your distance and time using a watch, phone, running app, treadmill display, or another method that works for you. We will send you a simple online form to submit your result.
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Absolutely. Run with friends, family, colleagues, a school, or your local running club. We ask each participant to register individually so they receive their own race information and can submit their result.
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You will receive a confirmation email, your Safe Marathon race bib to print at home, event updates, and a social media toolkit - should you wish to share your Safe Marathon experience. Closer to the event, we will also send you instructions for submitting your results.
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No. You choose what information you share. Please do not post an exact route or live location if doing so could compromise your safety. Free to Run may use broad information, such as participants’ countries, to show the global reach of the event, but we will not publish your precise route or location without your permission.
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Share your Safe Marathon using #TheSafeMarathon and tag @freetorunngo on Instagram. You can also join the Free to Run Strava club to connect with runners around the world. Sharing publicly and joining Strava are both optional.
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Yes! If you would like to host a Safe Marathon event that’s open to the public, please email our team at info@freetorun.org so we can add it to our list of events. To find an event near you, check out thesafemarathon.org/public-events!