THE inaugural guardian KL Women Running Festival (KLWRF) 2026 brought Dataran Merdeka to life on Sunday as women from near and far gathered with friends for a morning of movement, wellness and community.
The festival atmosphere remained strong despite a significantly modified running programme due to the prevailing haze conditions, with many participants staying on after the shortened run to enjoy activities across the Race Village.
With participant wellbeing in mind, organisers shortened the original 5km, 10km and 15km distances to an optional, non-competitive 2.6km route open to all registered participants, while removing all competitive categories and prize presentations.
The sold-out festival had attracted 8,000 registrations, with women arriving in groups, catching up with friends and making the most of the wider festival experience beyond the run itself.
Those who chose to take part in the 2.6km route were flagged off from 6am, while participants who preferred not to run were still able to collect their finisher entitlements and join the activities at the Race Village.
All registered participants will also receive a guardian e-coupon and be offered a virtual run option, with further details to be communicated separately.
SCORE Sports Management Chief Executive Officer Patricia Tan said the circumstances may have changed the running programme, but not the purpose behind KLWRF.
“Given the haze, our first responsibility was to adapt the event with the wellbeing of our participants in mind, but KLWRF was always designed to be more than just a race,” said Tan.
“The run may have been shorter than we originally planned, but seeing women still come together with their girlfriends, support one another and simply enjoy the morning showed exactly what we hoped this festival would be about.
“There was a real sense of togetherness throughout Dataran Merdeka, and that was something very special to see.”
The Race Village became the focal point of the morning, with participants staying on for Zumba and POUND It! sessions alongside wellness, recovery, beauty and lifestyle experiences, creative activities, giveaways and lucky draws.
Coinciding with World Menopause Day, guardian also placed a spotlight on midlife wellness, providing information on perimenopause and menopause alongside skin health checks and consultations.
Elsewhere around the village, women could take part in health assessments, enjoy recovery experiences including massage and cold-plunge sessions, pick up styling and beauty tips, personalise race-day keepsakes through engraving and DIY activities, or simply spend time with friends exploring the various booths and activities.
From scarf-wrapping and post-run beauty tutorials to shoe and bib customisation, the activities added to the relaxed festival atmosphere and gave participants plenty of reasons to linger long after completing the shortened route.
Japanese former elite athlete and running coach Chiaki Morikawa, who holds a marathon personal best of 2:35:06, was also among the festival’s special guests.
With the competitive categories removed, the RM9,200 originally allocated as prize money was donated in full to the National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM).
The contribution was presented at the Race Village on Sunday and came on top of approximately RM990 raised for NCSM through a charity live auction during the race expo ahead of the festival.
Guardian Health and Beauty Managing Director Priscilla Wu said the haze had inevitably changed how the festival unfolded, but the morning still reflected the importance of women coming together around health and wellbeing.
“At guardian, we believe wellbeing starts with making informed choices and caring for yourself. As a trusted wellness advisor, we respect every woman’s decision to put her health first, especially when circumstances change.
“What touched us most was seeing the spirit of community shine through. Women supporting women, caring for one another and finding joy in the journey towards better wellbeing,” said Wu.
KLWRF is backed by a strong line-up of partners, led by guardian as Title Sponsor and Chery as Official Mobility Partner.
Atome is the Official Payment Partner, Prime the Official Apparel Partner, Siti Khadijah the Official Muslimah Wellness Partner, Karta the Official Hydration Partner and Prince Court Medical Centre the Official Healthcare Partner.
Warrior Plunge comes onboard as Official Recovery Partner, Counterpain as Official Topical Analgesic Partner, ATF Sport Taping as Official Sport Tape Partner, 7 Days as Official Bread Partner and WEFIX Rehab as Official Physio Partner.
For more information on the guardian KL Women Running Festival 2026, visit the official website or follow KLWRF on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.