Nike Took Over London City Airport’s Runway for Its After Dark 10K

Nike brought its After Dark Tour to London on October 17, turning part of London City Airport’s runway into one of the most unusual stretches of a 10K course.

The Nike After Dark Tour is the brand’s global, women-focused nighttime running series, built around 10K and half-marathon events that combine racing with music, community programming, and post-race celebrations. Now in its second year, the series is visiting seven cities in 2026: Shanghai, Sydney, Mexico City, London, Los Angeles, Manila, and Mumbai.

For London, Nike set up a sold-out 10K beginning and ending at Silverworks Island in East London. The closed-road course moved through the Royal Docks, past Millennium Mills and the waterfront before sending runners onto the runway at London City Airport — a stretch normally reserved for aircraft rather than race bibs.

The flat course was designed with speed in mind, but the event went well beyond chasing a personal best. Nike built out the evening with live DJs, athlete hosts, an event expo, retail experiences, and a post-race celebration after runners crossed the finish line.

After Dark was launched in 2025 as a modern continuation of Nike’s long-running involvement in women’s racing. Its first year drew more than 50,000 women across seven races on five continents, with the 2026 edition expanding the concept through another global schedule of nighttime events.

London’s runway section made this stop particularly hard to miss. Rather than hosting another conventional city 10K, Nike gave runners a rare opportunity to race across an active airport environment with the London skyline in the background.

For more on Nike's After Dark Tour, make sure to checkout their website here. You can also shop the latest Nike "After Dark" gear here on Nike.com.

For more on Nike Running, make sure to checkout the upcoming Apex sneaker, releasing in 2027.