Thousands of people are set to compete in this Sunday's Round the Bays runs in Auckland and Wellington
Among the competitors, six stroke survivors for whom running has given them a new lease on life.
Sreeram Sridhar was carrying his baby son last year when he suffered a stroke.
“All of a sudden my right arm started to fall, I couldn't speak and just started yelling "call an ambulance,” he told 1 NEWS.
Yet on Sunday, the 34-year-old is about to do what is unthinkable for most stroke survivors by taking part in Round the Bays.
A regular at previous runs, he will be taking it a bit easier this time and will be joined by his wife and 22-month-old son.
Nine thousand New Zealanders suffer a stroke every year, that's equivalent to one every hour.
Mr Sridhar’s story is a reminder the illness doesn't discriminate.
A British study released earlier this year said training and completing a marathon could cut years off a person's vascular age.
It also showed novice runners with six or more months of training, saw their blood pressure fall as much as if they'd been prescribed medication.
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