Taking a break, the runners from different places mingled with one another. In Borobudur, they found harmony.
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·5 minutes read
Kompas/Ferganata Indra Riatmoko
Thousands of participants in the 10-kilometer category of the Bank Jateng Borobudur Marathon 2017 take off on Sunday (19/11) from the starting line in Taman Lumbini of the Borobudur Temple complex, Magelang regency, Central Java. The annual race, themed “Reborn Harmony”, thrummed with the enthusiasm of both runners and local residents.
The Bank Jateng Borobudur Marathon (BJBM) 2017 reaffirms the rebirth of harmony. Thousands of runners immerse themselves in natural beauty and partake of local hospitality in the villages surrounding a World Cultural Heritage Site. All of this offered in a sports tourism package.
It was drizzling around Borobudur Temple in Magelang regency, Central Java, as Retno Lestari entered her 5th kilometer of the half marathon category in Borobudur village. A number of local residents approached the roadside and passed out small plastic bags to the runners to keep their cell phones dry.
“I was surprised that the local people care so much about us and were considerate of such small things,” said Retno, showing us the plastic bag she received.
Such small gestures moved Retno. Not all runners had brought along plastic bags for their cell phones while they ran. The people’s concern for them showed that they wished to contribute to the runners’ convenience.
Apart from the attractive route, this year’s BJBM was also praised for the local peoples’ warm response and hospitality toward the runners. The local people warmly welcomed runners at over 15 points along the route. They shouted words of encouragement and entertained the runners with a variety of traditional dances, including the warok, jathilan, topeng ireng and gambyong dances.
Due to their uniqueness, runners often stopped by these performances and took selfies with the dancers. A number of warok dancers were seen encouraging the runners, high-fiving all those who passed their village.
The dancers trained specially for more than a week to welcome and entertain the runners. Schoolchildren also lined the roadside and cheered every time a runner passed by.
Borobudur villager Saefudin, 37, said the local people welcomed the international running event with great enthusiasm. “We feel that we are hosts, and that this is an event held by Borobudur villagers. We wish the best for this event. We want the runners to have good memories about Borobudur,” he said.
Interaction
The interaction between runners and the local villagers were spontaneous. Runners greeted farmers they met on the road. Several runners and farmers holding bags of hay were seen embracing and taking selfies in Borobudur village.
The villagers also shared their enthusiasm by greeting passing runners. “Monggo [Welcome], Sir! Come stop by,” said Ngaran II hamlet resident Kasirun, 49, to an approaching foreign runner who replied with a wide smile and a wave.
The beautiful views along the route were also a major attraction that added to the runners’ delight. Kipprop Tonui, 31, an Open category marathon champion from Kenya, said that the views of the rice fields along the route impressed him. “The wonderful view of rice fields made me want to be a rice farmer in Indonesia,” he said, smiling.
Runner M Ridwan, 41, from Malang in East Java, said that the run was very comfortable. He said the marathon was well organized and that the runners felt safe and comfortable throughout the event. From the starting line to the finish line, no motorized vehicle ever entered the designated route, which was specifically reserved for the BJBM runners.
Ridwan, who is in the 10-kilometer category, said that he had no targeted time. Along with two of his friends, he just wanted to enjoy a fun run while enjoying the views of Borobudur and village environment.
He even spared some time to dance and take selfies with the dancers of the yakso, a traditional dance that uses a giant mask. “It’s very interesting. The photo I uploaded to my Instagram account got many comments. Many are curious about this run,” he said.
Challenging
The BJBM is an annual marathon race held around Borobudur temple. This year, the run was organized in cooperation between the Central Java administration, regional development bank Bank Jateng and the Kompas daily. Three categories are in competition: the marathon (42.195 kilometers), the half-marathon (21 kilometers) and the 10-kilometer run.
The BJBM 2017 is a challenging event for runners. Apart from the numerous uphill roads, rain also fell during the run.
The challenging route almost overwhelmed several runners. Abdul Manan, 47, who ran in the marathon category, for instance, said that the soles of both his feet were injured just 2 kilometers before the finish line. The soles of his feet were bruised, making it difficult for him to continue running. “I wore the wrong shoes,” he said.
Abdul decided to take his shoes off and continue in bare feet. “My feet felt too hot. I just took off my shoes so I could make it to the finish line,” said the man from Malang.
After the finish line, he looked at the many bandaids on his feet. He limped a little from exhaustion. “My target was to finish in less than three hours, but I got cramps so I missed it,” he said, adding that he hoped he would be able to run in next year’s marathon.
The part of the route runners deemed most challenging was Sigug Bridge in Bumiharjo village. This is a 25-meter uphill road with a 30-degree incline. Many runners, especially Indonesian runners, decided to walk along this section.
Despite the challenging route, no runners suffered any serious injuries during the BJBM 2017. The runners’ tiredness was washed away by performing arts and musical shows afterwards. Taking a break, the runners from different places mingled with one another. In Borobudur, they found harmony.
