From Clubs to Marathon Sign-Ups, I'm Witnessing More and More Women Engaging in Sport -- Here's Why It's Happening

A firsthand account from a runner at major events links the growing participation of women in sport to more than fitness—community, confidence, and belonging. The author describes lining up at the Valencia Marathon in December 2025, noticing that out of 40,000 runners, only 8,700 were women (23%). She contrasts that with the Boston Marathon, where the start pen included many women, and with London’s results where the marathon reportedly set a world record for finishers and a record 24,000 women (40% of the field). The piece cites London Marathon ballot demand: 1,338,544 applications for the 2027 TCS London Marathon, with women aged 20–29 as the largest UK applicant group at over 179,000. It also points to the rise of women-only run clubs and women-specific track events across London.