Some 10,000 professional and amateur runners from 20 countries have registered for the 42-km Bengaluru Midnight Marathon and the preceding smaller runs. The runs are slated to take place between 6 p.m. of December 20 and 6 a.m. the next day. Registrations close on December 14.
The winner of the full marathon takes home a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakh.
The eighth marathon being organised in a row since 2007, it covers the city's area that predominantly houses its flagship IT sector, organiser Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor said on Friday.
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The number of participants has grown five-fold since the initial year’s 2,400 runners, RBITC president Rajiv Unnikrishnan said. Veteran Olympian Milkha Singh is set to flag off the marathon at the KTPO Trade Centre at Whitefield. Star boxer Mary Kom is its brand ambassador.
The marathon's message is fitness among youth. BMM, Mr. Unnikrishnan said, has also become the largest fund-raising platform for RBITC's charity activities - which include adoption of government schools around Whitefield, adoption of villages and a drinking water programme.
Around 45 companies are sponsoring BMM 2014.
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State Bank of India is the lead partner of the event for the second year,Rajni Mishra, Chief General Manager of SBI Bangalore Circle, told a news conference.
Schedule:
Community relay: 4 p.m. 5-km IT City Fun Run for families 6 p.m. Women's 10K run 7.30 p.m. Women's Relay 7.45 p.m. Celebrities' Open 10K Run 10 p.m. 21-km Half Marathon & 42.195-km Full Marathon Midnight.