Founded in 1961 as the Oita Godo Marathon, as the only JAAF-certified half marathon within Oita Prefecture a major draw every year for runners from throughout the area and country, the Oita City Half Marathon has been discontinued as of this year's running. Long a proving ground for the area's long distance runners, in recent years the area around the race has undergone significant change and numerous problems have arisen including the increasing difficulty of ensuring runners' safety amidst the ever-increasing traffic. The organizers issued a statement on Sept. 4 thanking everyone who participated in the race with passion and inspiration over the years, to all those who helped to organize and conduct it, and to all the local residents who turned out faithfully every year to cheer along the roadside. A day later, the organizers of the Chugoku Yamaguchi Ekiden , a longtime fixture on the area and national calendar every January, announced that it has also been disco...
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