A bit of disheartening news today for local runners. According to an email sent by Richard Zeichik, National Director for the AIDS Marathon Training Program, the group will discontinue its popular training program in the D.C. area in 2007. It seems that the group’s partner, the Whitman-Walker Clinic, has chosen to sever its ties with the organization. From the email:

After nine incredible years of producing the AIDS Marathon Training Program on behalf of Whitman-Walker Clinic, we are saddened and deeply sorry to tell you that our D.C. training program will be closing next month.

There will be no AIDS Marathon training programs in the Washington, D.C. area in 2007…The Whitman-Walker Clinic has announced today that it will be merging with the Washington Free Clinic later this month. With this re-organization, the Clinic has decided not to continue as the local AIDS Marathon beneficiary.

As a few of us on the DCist staff can tell you, running for a grueling 26.2 miles is a bitch and the right support and help makes all the difference. While there are still various other training programs out there for runners to turn to, the AIDS Marathon was a great way to make a difference and we’re sad to see it go.

DCist staff writer Ian Buckwalter contributed to this post.