“Long Pilgrimage” of Ultramarathon Begins

· 4 minutes read

SUMBAWA BESAR, KOMPAS — Runners will soon face extreme challenges after the first 40 kilometers of the Kompas Tambora Challenge 2019-Lintas Sumbawa 320K, braving cold, dark nights to cover the remaining 280 kilometers to the finish line.

The starting pistol sounded at 3 p.m. Central Indonesia Time (WITA) on Wednesday (5/1/2019) for the 24 individual runners and 31 relay runners taking part in Southeast Asia’s most extreme ultramarathon. Runners face a time limit of 68 hours in the individual category and a time limit of 64 hours in completing two 160 km routes in the relay category.

The “long pilgrimage” begins at the starting line in Pototano Field of West Sumbawa regency, and finishes at 7 a.m. WITA for individual runners and at 11 a.m. for relay runners on Saturday (5/4) in Doro Ncanga Field of Dompu regency, in the foothills of Mount Tambora.

At 10 p.m. on Wednesday evening, individual runner Hendra Siswanto became the first to reach checkpoint (CP) 2, located 80 km from the starting line. The runner from Banyuwangi, East Java, was followed by relay runner Jumadi, 29, who is running with partner Oktavianus Quaasalmy, the relay winner of the 2017 Kompas Tambora Challenge.

“It was very hot earlier, despite the cloudy weather,” Jumadi said at CP 1, located 40 km from the starting line.

Eni Rosita, 40, the individual female winner in 2017 and 2018, was the first female runner to reach CP 1. Eni immediately took off her shoes to apply a bandage to one toe on her right foot and two toes on her left foot. “These injuries are from thorns that were stuck to my socks. I don’t know when they got there, but it’s fine,” said the record holder.

Relay runner Carla Fellany also ran into a problem when she developed blisters on her back over the first 40 km, the first of the eight stages of the race.

After CP 1, the runners will go brave the cold, dark and lonely nights that are unique to Sumbawa Island.

Race director Lexi Rohi said that the greatest challenge during such nights was the minimal lighting, which required more concentration and energy.

“The first night will be hard, but the second and third nights will be harder. [The runners] must still maintain focus, even though they will be exhausted by then,” said Lexi. “There are also uphill and downhill sections in the final half of the race.”

The runners were still covering the smooth and asphalted route on the Trans-Sumbawa highway on Wednesday night, although some sections covered uphill and downhill curves.

Never give up

West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Governor Zulkieflimansyah and NTB Deputy Governor Fud Syaifuddin attended the opening ceremony for the Lintas Sumbawa 320K marathon. Kompas managing editor Adi Prinantyo also attended as a representative of the organizer.

Zulkieflimansyah expressed appreciation for the Kompas Tambora Challenge, saying that the race had brought many positive impacts for NTB, especially for the people of Sumbawa.

The annual ultramarathon was launched in 2015 to commemorate the bicentenary of the Mt. Tambora mega eruption, and is in its fifth edition this year.

“The event carries an important message. Runners must have strong endurance and must never give up so they can to reach the finish line. This sets an example for the people of West Nusa Tenggara to rise again after the earthquake last year,” said the governor.

He also highlighted benefits to Sumbawa tourism, which the media would promote in covering the Kompas Tambora Challenge. “Tourism has started to blossom. There is hope. At first, outsiders only knew about Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara. Now, Sumbawa is also gaining recognition,” said Zulkieflimansyah.

Kompas’ Adi noted that the race was in line with the daily’s mission to promote the wealth of the Indonesian archipelago, and added that the runners should also be appreciated. “We hope [the runners] can conquer themselves and have a smooth run until the finish line,” he said. (KEL/ZAK/RUL/BRO

Editor:

kompascetak