JAKARTA - The popularity of running in Indonesia continues to show an increase in recent years. From just an activity to maintain fitness, running has now evolved into a part of lifestyle, to a space to build communities and set personal achievements.
Not a few runners make the marathon as a long-term goal. Not only about the finish line, but also about the process of discipline and consistency that is lived every day.
For some people, a marathon is not an instant goal. It takes habits, gradual training, and the ability to maintain a rhythm to get to the full 42-kilometer distance.
Representative of the RIOT Indonesia community, Agung Triyudanta, said that each runner has their own development process before they are finally ready to face the marathon.
"All runners start from small things. Usually from 5 kilometers, then get used to and go up to 10 kilometers, then 21 kilometers, until finally to 42 kilometers. So everything is gradual and there is progress from each person," said Agung, when met at Bungarampai, Menteng, Central Jakarta on Tuesday, May 12, 2026.
According to Agung, marathons are also a means to build yourself better. When someone sets a certain running target, the training process indirectly helps shape discipline and consistency in daily life.
"Marathon is one way for us to set goals. When we have goals, we build ourselves to be better," he added.
In the midst of this trend, various initiatives have begun to bring the experience of a world-class marathon to Indonesian runners. One of them is through the "Road to Marathon in Berlin 2026" program presented by Tempo, a premium tissue brand from Germany that has been established since 1929 and is now present in Indonesia.
This program provides an opportunity for four Indonesian consumers to win a full travel package to one of the most prestigious running events in the world, the World Marathon Majors (WMM) in Berlin, including ballot fees, plane tickets, accommodation, and pocket money. The program runs from April 1 to June 30, 2026.
According to Abraham Nandiwardhana, Country Head of PT Vinda International Indonesia, the selection of the marathon in Berlin was not done without reason, but rather departed from values that were considered in line with the brand's philosophy.
"Tempo was born from a belief that quality is not a momentary luxury, but a standard of living that is held every day. Running a marathon in Berlin represents the same thing, namely consistency, endurance, and the best performance that comes from personal choices that are never half-baked," said Abraham.
He added that the program is a way to bring the same spirit to consumers in Indonesia.
"This program is our way of presenting this spirit in a tangible way to Indonesian consumers who are already living by that standard," he continued.
In line with this, the Head of Marketing of PT Vinda International Indonesia, Andrew Soendjojo, sees that running has a close relationship with the spirit to continue to grow.
"Running shows that people are never satisfied with the current condition. Even though they have finished, they want to be faster. That's what we appreciate in life," he said.
Andrew also assessed that the marathon in Berlin has its own relevance because of its connection with the origin of the brand.
"Why marathon in Berlin, because Tempo was born in Germany. So this is like going back to our home," he said.
In its implementation, this program also involves a number of running communities such as RIOT Indonesia, TNG Runner, Escape Society, Wake and Run, Run on Bali, and Indo Runner Surabaya. Each community has a referral code that participants can use when registering transactions.
Tempo Brand Manager PT Vinda International Indonesia, Kevin Juanito explained that the participation mechanism was designed to be simple so that more people could participate.
"This program is indeed designed with a very simple mechanism, because our goal is for all Indonesian people to be able to participate," explained Kevin.
Kevin explained that participants simply buy products at retail partners who have cooperated, upload proof of transaction, and monitor the accumulation of points through a leaderboard system that can be accessed in real time.
"We also provide a live leaderboard, so consumers can see data transparently and know their position in real time," he added.
For the running community, the opportunity to go to Berlin is not easy to get. The Berlin Marathon itself is part of the World Marathon Majors which has a limited number of participants and is contested by runners from various countries.
Agung considered this opportunity to be something interesting for the running community in Indonesia.
"The opportunity to participate in the World Marathon Majors is very small. From thousands, even hundreds of thousands of applicants, only a small portion is selected. Therefore, opportunities like this are something exciting for runners," said Agung.
Marathon is not just about who gets to the finish line the fastest. Behind the long distance, there is a process of training, commitment, and courage to continue moving towards the next target, something that seems to be getting closer to the daily lives of many people in the midst of the growing culture of running in Indonesia.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
