Reclaiming the night, one stride at a time

Posted on 9 November, 2026

Kate McConchie isn’t measuring the success of her running club by how many women turn up.

For her, it’s about what they take away – a friendship, a little confidence, or the feeling that they belong.

And it turns out, that’s exactly what local women runners want.

Springboarding off a sold-out female running event she ran in September, called She Runs the Night, Kate – the Public Servant and mum of two is bringing that community spirit to She Runs the Night 2 on Thursday, 12 November. It promises to be an evening of movement, connection and women supporting women at The Jetty.

Behind the event is a simple motivation. When Kate founded the all-female running club She Who Runs in 2019, she was navigating a difficult patch and wanted some company on the pavement.

“Because I was just a girl who was going through some challenging times, wanted some friends to run with, and Canberra had nothing. So I decided to start my own.”

For Kate, running had become much more than exercise.

“I started it up because I knew what running gave me – friends, confidence, belief in myself. And I wanted others to find this too.”

COVID and the arrival of her two boys put the club on pause. Relaunching earlier this year took courage: with run clubs suddenly everywhere, Kate wondered whether anyone would want to join hers.

A few friends encouraged her to give it a go. Initially, one or two runners came along. One morning, nobody did – but Kate’s belief in the club wasn’t built on crowd size.

“Success of a run club is never about the amount of people who turn up, but if someone can walk away feeling like they have got something out of it, whether that be a new connection or even confidence to run – then my job is done.”

That sense of purpose also underpins She Runs the Night. As a mum with precious little spare time, Kate would love to head out for a solo run at 5 am and be home before her boys wake. Instead, darkness brings another consideration: safety.

“Being a female runner has impacted the way I approach running, particularly when it comes to safety. The time of day, location, who I run with, or if I’m running alone are all factors I need to take into consideration”

Her women-only events offer a chance to come together after dark – and to turn that shared experience into something uplifting.

“Because there is nothing stronger than women supporting women. We can take a stand and make an impact together to create awareness.”

The September event at The Pedlar sold out and raised $1,000 for Toora Women. This time, Kate has chosen a bigger venue to welcome more participants, with the community again helping choose the cause they’ll support.

She Runs the Night 2.0 runs from 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm at The Jetty on Queen Elizabeth Terrace. Participants can choose a 5 km run, with pace groups for those finishing in under 35 minutes or 35–40-plus minutes, or a 3 km walk.

Staggered starts begin at sunset, from 7.45 pm, with the aim of everyone finishing together. Fast or leisurely, the finish-line feeling is a shared one.

Every participant goes into the post-run raffle, with support from local women-led businesses. Afterwards, there’ll be goodies and time to enjoy the atmosphere at The Jetty, with food and drinks available to purchase.

There’s a purpose behind every registration with 100 per cent of registration proceeds donated to Love from Penny & Lyla, a local organisation which supports families grieving the loss of a baby.

And if you’re wondering what to expect from an evening with this crowd, Kate’s verdict is wonderfully straightforward.

“The energy is electric”

“But most of all the feeling of female empowerment is unmatched.”

For a club that began with one woman looking for friends to run with, that sounds like a pretty great reason to lace up.