On Sunday, September 13, thousands of women took part in La Parisienne, a unique running event in Paris that celebrates female participation in sports. This was the 29th edition of the race, which is exclusively for women. Participants wore navy blue and pink t-shirts and decorated themselves with flower crowns, fringe skirts, feathers, tropical leaves, bows, and arrows to reflect the event's theme, "The Amazons," a mythological reference to a group of warrior women. Organized by the Golazo Group, the event saw nearly 20,000 runners, a significant jump from 8,000 in 2021 and nearly 16,000 in 2022. The growth in participation highlights a broader trend of increasing interest in running, especially among women. La Parisienne is more than just a race—it's described as a "moment of sharing" where friends, family, and colleagues come together to celebrate the sport. The event emphasized participation over competition, creating a "festive" atmosphere with music, supporters, and even children cheering along the route. The oldest participant was 87 years old, and some runners, like 79-year-old Marie-Claire, marked their fifth time taking part. Many left the event with new friends, showing how the race fosters not only physical activity but also social connections. According to the 2025 annual trends report from Strava, a popular fitness app, running has become the most practiced sport, surpassing walking in popularity. The number of running clubs listed on the platform has tripled, and more people across all age groups are purchasing race bibs. Léopold de Vaucleroy, general director of Golazo Group, noted that the increase in female runners has been particularly notable, as women were historically less represented in running events. Several factors have contributed to the rise in running. The pandemic made running one of the few accessible sports, especially as gyms and other facilities were closed. A growing focus on health and wellness, along with corporate support for running clubs, has also encouraged more people to take up the sport. These trends have helped reduce stigma around physical activity and normalized participation in races like La Parisienne. However, the cost of running has increased in recent years. Athletes have doubled their sports budgets, and the price of race bibs has gone up. For example, the cost of a race in Châtillon rose from 20 euros to 35 euros, and La Parisienne's prices increased from 25 euros in 2022 to 27 euros for the first price tier and from about 40 euros to 48 euros for the highest tier. Léopold de Vaucleroy explained that higher costs are due to increased expenses, particularly in security. Despite these rising costs, 30% of athletes plan to spend more on sports in 2026, according to Strava data. All the women interviewed expressed a strong desire to return for the 2027 edition of La Parisienne.