Kagama Lari hosted a night-time running event on Dec. 16-17 in Yogyakarta. Boasting the theme “UGM Ultra 74K,” this charity run witnessed the participation of 80 runners, primarily comprised of alumni.
The diverse spectrum of participants tackled various categories, including the challenging 74 kilometers, 37 kilometers, 25 kilometers, and the brisk 12 kilometers.
UGM’s esteemed Rector, Professor Ova Emilia, and the Secretary-General of Kagama, Dr. AAGN Ari Dwipayana, symbolically launched the eager participants on a Saturday night (Dec. 16) to the west of Grha Sabha Pramana.
Kartika Rina (52), a spirited participant in the 25-kilometer category, confessed to preparations leading up to this charity run. A proud Faculty of Economics and Business graduate, Rina revealed that she had partaken in this event twice before, timed impeccably just before the pinnacle of UGM’s anniversary celebrations.
For Rina, the nocturnal nature of the running event posed no challenge, given her consistent and dedicated training regimen. She deliberately chose the 25-kilometer category, aligning perfectly with her optimal running distance.
Jemex Susetya Budi, the Chair of the UGM Ultra 74 committee, shared insights into the diverse participation, highlighting 14 participants for the 74-kilometer category, 24 participants for the 37-kilometer category, 18 participants for the 25-kilometer category, and around 20 participants embarking on the 12-kilometer journey.
Prioritizing the safety and well-being of the runners, the committee positioned rest stops every 12 kilometers. These stations served a dual purpose, enabling health checks and providing physiotherapy to those in need.
“Every 12 kilometers, there’s a water station, health checks, and therapy,” assured Budi.
Delving into the route details for this charitable escapade, Budi revealed that the participants circled the campus before venturing into iconic locations such as Tugu Jogja, Malioboro, Kraton, Krapyak, Kotagede, and ultimately returning to the embrace of the UGM campus.
This event raised substantial donations, reaching a commendable figure in the hundreds of millions of rupiahs. These funds are earmarked to support scholarships for students hailing from economically disadvantaged families.
“For charity, we raise funds from corporations and contributions from each runner. From last year’s experience, we collected around IDR 150 million,” shared Budi, a UGM Faculty of Agricultural Technology alumnus.
The culmination of the Nitilaku event at the Balairung courtyard on Sunday (Dec. 17) witnessed a moment as Lestari Octavia, one of the chairpersons of the Kagama Lari community, symbolically handed over a scholarship donation fund totaling IDR 128,783,599 to the rector.
The Kagama Lari community stands as an alumni stronghold of UGM under the umbrella of PP Kagama, fostering a shared passion for running among its members. This community ardently pursues a vision and mission rooted in achieving a healthy life while generously spreading benefits to others, encapsulated in their poignant tagline, “running while sharing.”
Author: Gusti Grehenson
Photographer: Donnie