Anecdotes
At first, Hakone Ekiden was held irregularly, and runners usually started in the afternoon so that runners could study in the morning. Thus runners, especially in fifth section, had to run at night. Moreover, the start and goal point was provided but the course was not, so runners could choose the way their own way.
Soon after the war, many students in high school were not willing to go to university or college because they were poor, and ekiden-skilled students also were not. So each team had to participate in the ekiden with those who had not experienced ekiden: rugby players, skiers or other sports players. However, going to higher school gradually become general and each university could organize a stronger team.
Today Hakone Ekiden has become one of the most famous sports events in Japan. The whole race has been broadcast live on Nippon Television since 1987. More than one million people cheer runners along the course. Its level is becoming higher and higher. Today this ekiden is the dream of a lot of runners in high school. And there is the Hakone Ekiden Museum in Hakone which was built in 2005.
Read more about this topic: Hakone Ekiden
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