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For more than a century, March 8, International Women’s Day, has been commemorating women’s achievements, alongside their struggles for equality and liberation. An official public holiday in a handful of European countries including Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia and Moldova, as well as the German state of Mecklenberg-Vorpommern and the city of Berlin, the holiday also carries significant weight in Poland, Romania and other former Soviet bloc nations.
In Italy, the day is celebrated as La Festa della Donna, and women may find themselves presented with bouquets of cheery yellow mimosas, one of the first spring flowers. Many of the country’s state-run museums and archaeological sites offer free entry for women on the day (but an advance reservation might still be required).
In celebration of a date in honor of women, a look at sporting events organized solely on their behalf seems appropropriate.
Luxembourg: The magazine ELLE Luxembourg is the organizer of the first ELLE Run, set for March 15. Women of all sporting abilities are encouraged to sign up for this race taking place in a mostly rural setting, the Kuebe Farm in Luxembourg Kirchberg. Participants can choose from 5- or 10-km distances, and both walking and running the routes is allowed. A part of the proceeds from the race will be donated to the nonprofit organization Femmes en détresse (Women in Distress). A pop-up village near the start and finish line provides participants with a place to connect and linger pre- and post-race. Races begin at 9:30 a.m., and the registration fee for all races is 35 euros. Online: tinyurl.com/yc33n3ev
Pen Llyn, Wales: Billed by its organizers as the world’s largest all-female ultramarathon event, the third edition of the SHE ULTRA has been set for April 11. The 50-km race is open to women of all abilities, from elite runners to beginners, with no cutoff times. The race raises funds in support of women affected by cancer. Stunning scenery is guaranteed as the course runs along a peninsula extending 30 miles into the Irish Sea. The race kicks off at the beach in Abersoch and finishes in The Maes at Pwllheli. The race is capped at a maximum of 1,800 entrants, and the cost of registration is 74 UK pounds ($99.60). Online: sheultra.com
Throughout Germany: The schauinsland Muddy Angel Run offers female runners a 5-km track littered with 18 muddy and challenging yet fun obstacles to overcome, from slides and seesaws to pools and mud baths. More than 100,000 women take part annually in this race organized across 12 German locations. The 2026 race cities and dates are as follows: Gelsenkirchen May 30; Leipzig June 6; Offenbach June 13; Dresden June 20; Duisburg June 27; Berlin July 18; Mannheim July 25; Munich Aug. 1; Cologne Aug. 8; Freizeit Park Mammut Aug. 16; Magdeburg Aug. 29; and Hamburg Sept. 12 and 13. The race also takes place in Zürich, Switzerland, on July 4. The registration fee for the races in Germany is 49 euros. Online: muddyangelrun.com
Vienna, Austria: Each year in spring, the ASICS Austrian Women’s Run attracts tens of thousands of women to Austria’s stately capital. One of Europe’s largest women’s-only races takes place in the Prater Park, an inner-city green space featuring amusements and numerous eating and drinking establishments. The race’s 38th edition, slated for May 31, offers distances of 5 or 10 km; the 5-km route can also be taken on by Nordic walkers. Registration for the 10 km is set at 51 euros until March 15, when the cost will go up. Online: oesterreichischer-frauenlauf.at/de
Dublin, Ireland: Billed by its organizers as the largest women’s event of its kind in the world, the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon is a 10-km road race leading through the city center. Over the course of its 42-year existence, more than a million women have taken part in this race organized to support numerous charities. This year’s edition of the race is set to take place on May 31. Participants can walk, jog or run along a course lined by bands, drummers and dancers. General registration for the race, which tends to sell out, will open on March 4; the cost of participation is 37 euros. Online: vhiwomensminimarathon.ie
Budapest, Hungary: Thousands of women from Hungary and beyond will flock to Budapest’s City Park on June 7 to take part in the 31st editon of the ALDI Women’s Running Gala. Participants can choose from 2.5-, 5- or 10-km distance circuits. Each finisher receives a medal and T-shirt. Registrations completed prior to March 9 cost 8,500 HUF ($26.40). Online: aldinoifutogala.hu/en
Hamburg, Germany: The Rewe Women’s Run Hamburg is an annual, women’s-only running event offering a distance of either 5 or 10 km, with routes running alongside the Binnenalster, an inner-city lake encircled by exclusive shops and high-end offices. Race day is slated for June 14. Registration for the 5 km outing costs 31 euros; participation in the 10 km costs 35 euros. These prices are valid through March 13; the cost of registration increases as race day nears. Online: womensrun-hamburg.de
Chester, UK: The Deva Divas women’s-only triathlon was first organized in 2006 to encourage women to participate in a sport traditionally viewed as something exclusively for the ultra-fit. This popular, award-winning sprint triathlon for ladies consists of a 750-meter swim in the River Dee, a 25-km bike ride and a 5-km run. The race’s next edition is slated for July 5, and plenty of slots remained available at the time of this writing. The entry fee is 80 UK pounds ($107.70). Online: chestertri.niftyentries.com/Deva-Divas-2026
