More than 500 runners took part in the Gadjah Mada Medical Center (GMC) Runniversary on Sunday (Jan. 18) in Sekip, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). Participants from the academic community, staff, and the general public ran 5 kilometers around the UGM campus.
Centered at the clinic courtyard as both the starting and finishing point, the GMC Fun Run 2026 was held as the highlight of the clinic’s 25th anniversary celebration.
Head of GMC Clinic, Dr. Yayuk Soraya, explained that the running event was a first-time innovation in their anniversary series. This initiative was introduced in response to customer enthusiasm and the growing popularity of running.
“Organizing a fun run is a first for GMC Clinic. In previous anniversaries, we enlivened the celebration with leisure cycling and healthy walks. This time, we tried to accommodate our customers’ interests by holding a sports event that attracts broad participation, namely a fun run,” she explained (Jan. 18).
The peak celebration series began with a joint prayer and warm-up session at exactly 06:00 a.m. WIB, the runners were officially flagged off by the founder of GMC, who is currently President Director of BPJS Kesehatan, Professor Ali Ghufron Mukti.
In his remarks, he emphasized that running is not a waste of time, but rather a vital investment in health.
“This activity provides a space for togetherness. There is a saying that health is not everything, but without health, everything becomes meaningless,” he said before releasing the runners.
Through the collaboration between GMC and BPJS Kesehatan in this Fun Run, Professor Mukti encouraged the public to adopt a healthy lifestyle. He outlined four main pillars to prevent future illness.
“There are four things that must be applied in a healthy lifestyle: maintaining a healthy environment and behavior, exercising regularly, and reducing the consumption of sugar, salt, and rice,” he added.
Upon reaching the finish line, runners were welcomed with refreshments such as mineral water, isotonic drinks, and breakfast, and they also received appreciation medals.
Shortly afterward, the atmosphere grew livelier with an aerobic exercise session and a live band performance, followed by the announcement of the fastest runners and the distribution of dozens of door prizes.
Amid the festivities, participants also used free health services, including cholesterol checks, blood pressure measurements, and blood glucose tests.
Kay, a young runner from Bantul who was the first to cross the finish line, said this was his first time participating in a running event at UGM.
He admitted that he truly enjoyed the morning atmosphere around the UGM campus and did not realize that his pace would make him the fastest runner.
“Today I really had no ambition; it was just a fun run. I ran at my own pace. Without realizing it, I suddenly reached the finish line first,” he concluded.
Author: Aldi Firmansyah
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photographer: Hanifah