We Don\'t Want to Be Just Spectators ...

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Residents transport statues made of straw in Sidoagung village, Tempuran, Magelang, Central Java, Friday (15/11/2019).

Borobudur Marathon has become a shared property. Not only for the organizers and runners, but also for local residents. All parties actively take care of the ecosystem in terms of economics, achievement and tourism.

A number of young people gathered in the yard of a house in Pletukan hamlet, Sidoagung village, Tempuran district, Magelang, Central Java, on Friday (15/11/2019) afternoon. In front of them lay a pile of blarak o green coconut leaves. While crouching, they weaved the blarak into a costume for a dance performance.

"This is a dancing costume for Borobudur Marathon. We will wear this to welcome the runners," said Muntolib, 34, a young man from Pletukan hamlet.

Pletukan hamlet is one of the areas included in the route of the 2019 Borobudur Marathon Powered by Bank Jateng to be held on Sunday (17/11/2019). The running competition held by the Central Java provincial administration, Bank Jateng and Kompas daily will be attended by around 10,900 participants. They are divided into three categories, namely 10 kilometers (km), half marathon with a distance of 21 km and marathon with a distance of 42,195 km.As the name implies, Borobudur Marathon will be held in the area around Borobudur Temple, Magelang regency. The runners will pass through rural areas with a captivating view of nature.

For the sake of welcoming and encouraging the runners, the young people in Pletukan hamlet will dance on the side of the road. They also make costumes, consisting of headdresses and two-piece clothes. "This week we make the costumes together. Sometimes we stay up late. In total there are 70 sets of costumes we have made," said Muntolib.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Sudawiyah, 60, cleans leaves in her yard near the 2019 Borobudur Marathon route powered by the Central Java Bank in Jowahan hamlet, Wanurejo village, Borobudur, Magelang, Central Java, Friday (15/11/2019). Various initiatives have been taken by residents to beautify their area to welcome participants of the annual event.

Aside from making costumes, the young people of Pletukan hamlet also make street decorations or penjor. The decoration is made of bamboo as high as 2.5 to 4 meters complete with dried straws as decoration. As many as one hundred penjor have been made in a month. They were installed in the past week.

According to Muntolib, the cost of the costumes and penjor was from their own cash and voluntary contributions. They are willing because they want to take part in welcoming and enlivening the Borobudur Marathon. "The important thing is that the residents are solid and all are happy," he said.

That is not enough. Pletukan residents are also ready to provide snacks. According to Masduki, 30, they will provide bananas for runners who pass by.

Student enthusiasm

Since 2017, Borobudur Marathon has always involved the surrounding community to encourage the runners or cheer them up. When cheering the runners, the residents gather at the roadside singing, dancing and shouting slogans.

During the Borobudur Marathon 2019 on Sunday, the cheering will involve students from 32 schools and residents of 19 villages. One of them is Tanjungsari state elementary school in Tanjungsari village, Borobudur.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Students practice a dance to cheer for runners of the 2019 Borobudur Marathon powered by the Central Java Bank in SDN Wanurejo State Elementary School, Wanurejo village, Borobudur, Magelang, Central Java, Friday (15/11/2019).

The principal of Tanjungsari elementary school Siti Rohyati said that the students would perform the Keprajuritan Soreng dance. Since early November, they have practiced the troop dance nine times. In addition to the dance, they will also perform Maumere physical exercise and a kentungan music performance.

All 130 students at Tanjungsari elementary school will be involved. During the race, they were required to come to school at 4 a.m. because they had to be dressed up and put on costumes first. "The children are very enthusiastic," said Siti.

Borobudur Marathon has become a celebration with the people of Borobudur and its surroundings. Tanjungsari elementary school students and teachers are happy to take part in this event. "Through such activity, we also work on this event. We also want to take part, not just become spectators," he said.

Borobudur Marathon race director Andreas Kansil said cheering was very important in a race as it motivated runners to finish strong. "There were participants who commented that the Borobudur Marathon cheering was extraordinary. He said it [the cheering] makes him forget how many times he goes up and down the hill," he said. Cheering is also important to build the involvement and sense of ownership of the local community.

Economic benefits

The people’s involvement in the Borobudur Marathon is not only related to cheering. The event also provides direct economic benefits, especially for homestay or home owners.

In Ngaran hamlet, Borobudur village, for example, 129 rooms in 32 homestays have been booked since June. The hamlet is known as Kampung Homestay Borobudur because many residents rent out their homes. The chairman of the Association of Kampung Homestay Borobudur Muslich, 45, said the residents were so enthusiastic and many of them even added facilities.

The economic benefits were also felt by owners of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Magelang who were invited to work closely with the committee. They were invited to sell their products at Artos Mall during the contest preparation from Nov. 14 to 16.

The second day, Friday afternoon, 140 legondo was sold. "Besides being profitable, my product is known better.

Ernalia Masly, the owner of an MSME, said that on the first day alone, traditional legondo food made from bananas, sticky rice and coconut milk was sold – 110 pieces total. The second day, Friday afternoon, 140 legondo was sold. "Besides being profitable, my product is known better," she said.

Another MSME owner, Lisa, 35, was also happy. Ciwel, a cassava snack, was sold – 200 pieces. "Usually only [I can sell] 50 ciwel per day," she said.

As a shared asset, residents hope that Borobudur Marathon will have a sustainable impact. It’s a world-class running competition that improves the welfare of citizens.