What is the Betsudai Mainichi Marathon?

The Beppu Oita Mainichi Marathon (then Beppu Marathon) was founded in 1952 during the post-war reconstruction period, when Yasuo Ikenaka (deceased) from Nakatsu City, Oita Prefecture, who was coaching candidates for the Olympic team, advocated that he wanted to hold a national event in his hometown to pave the way for the Olympics. Initially, it was a 35-kilometer course that started in front of Beppu Station and turned around Shiraki, Oita City. From the second race in 53, it was changed to a full marathon. Along with the “Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon” (then the Mainichi Marathon) that started in ‘46 and the “Fukuoka International Marathon” (then the Asahi Marathon) that started in ‘47, it came to be called the Japan three major classic race