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Passion for running

In two years, Murali Karanam has become a running addict. The 48-year-old is on a marathon spree.

Running every morning is on every fitness freak’s to-do list. But for interior designer Murali Karanam, running with his friends, is a full-time job. He ran 21 km every day for 21 days.

Being a sport addict comes to him from his father, who was a national level Kabaddi player. “I saw videos shared by Hyderabad Runners Club and thought about giving running a shot. Since 2014, I have taken part in 14 full marathons and nine half marathons pan India. It has become a healthy addiction,” he says.

Running for 21 km each day for 21 days, which equals to almost 500 km, helps one to build endurance before taking part in professional runs. “It helps to test one’s endurance level, patience and stamina. Running for 21 km is a task and it gets difficult. But again, I have done a successful 34 km running in a day instead of the pre-planned 21 km recently, breaking my own record,” Murali says.

This June, he went to Cherrapunji in Assam to participate in a run. “It was fun to run when it was pouring heavily. The only thing that was not fun was that, my phone got drenched and stopped working,” he says.

Running with friends is fun. “Running 500 km is tough. But running with my friends is a boon. In my entire running stretch, they join me on and off in between and keep on motivating me,” he says.

Murali continues: “I try to take different routes, but the usual one is from College of Defence Management in Sainikpuri to the Mornington Road in Trimulgherry. Without friends I find it very boring and tiresome to run alone.”

For those who aspire to run, he says, “To be ready for a full marathon, one needs seven years of rigorous training. But in India, people get ready in a year — that’s not the right way.” Murali aims to run 42 km for seven days in February.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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