Run for your life at midnight!

In a month's time, every Bengalurean is going to look fit, dashing and head-turn worthy! Why? They're all gearing up for two major marathons. The first is the Midnight Marathon, whose theme is to celebrate life.

This event will take place on December 11. The second marathon, titled Life is Calling, will take place on December 14.

“It's awesome exercise and strengthens the abs. I'll be running the Midnight Marathon, going to Goa for another and also going for the Great Wall of China Run in 2015," says Ravi Prakash, 27, who manages to run totally 14 km over weekdays, and five km on Sundays plus goes to the gym everyday, despite work!This enthusiasm is certainly infectious as many people talk their friends into running as well!

“I started running for fitness and fun after my friend goaded me into it. He kept saying that if I tried it once, I'd be addicted. It was tough initially, both physically and mentally. I would imagine people staring at me and feel embarrassed about running out of breath in 100m. But now I've run two marathons and knowing that I'm fit enough to run a fair distance feels great," says Sanjukta Haside.

Also, if you're husband and wife, it's a great way to spend time together, training and achieving milestones. Priyaa Kalkura who has run several marathons with her husband Deepak Kannan, says, “I feel a runner's high is one of the best things one can experience. My first 5K run was at Mysore in Sept 2012 and I have been hooked ever since. Regular weekly runs with a running group help me stay focused. I listen to music and use an app to track my runs. I have completed many runs including Bangalore Midnight Marathon 2012, TCS 10K 2013, Bangalore Ultra 12.5K and am looking forward to the upcoming marathons as well!" Bengalureans are not just running the local marathons, but are even heading out. A lot of them are even travelling to different cities. Parthasarathy Madhukar, an AOL employee in Bengaluru, is going to Delhi and Mumbai to run the complete 42.195 km marathons. “I have been a sportsperson from my school days, playing hockey and squash. Nothing can beat the running high. Also, these marathons have made me acquaint myself with many charity associations. It's a great way to spread awareness about issues like breast cancer and autism," he says.