Editor's Note: Throughout this COVID-19 period, we're reaching out to the pockets of the world you might not see on your Instagram feed everyday. For this feature, we head to Jakarta with local creative Bee, as she tells the story of how runners there are adapting.

The running culture in Jakarta has been growing for the last decade, but this city is still learning to be friendly with runners. Unless you live in a modern suburb or cluster area, you have to wake up around 4 or 5am to run without traffic, pollution, and heat.

We do have several running tracks and a famous area called GBK (Gelora Bung Karno) in downtown, where a lot of people come and do their running. It’s a stadium with a couple of halls and a large parking area which people can use as uninterrupted open space to run.

During the pandemic all running tracks are closed. GBK is partially open, with some regulations.

The issue during the pandemic is not only where to run, but whether to run or not to run. To wear a face mask or not. Of course, there are pros and cons to wearing a face mask during exercise. As if runners don’t have enough to deal with trying to workout in this city, they now have to deal with face masks.

Here are some short thoughts and honest opinions from regular runners about how the pandemic is affecting their running and life.

Dodit, East Jakarta, Running Coach

There is a nice area around my place where I can run. And when the pandemic came, I’m quite confident with my own immunity level. But the fact that I could be a carrier and can be a huge risk to people around me, made it clear to me that I have to stop running. I think it’s my mindset that I always put myself as a patient. Of course I will lose some fitness, but everyone is in the same position.

My running career has been up and down this last couple of years.

I’m not a pro athlete anymore, but I used to be. I stopped training and became a comedian, to entertain people with a different routine. I went from being a morning person to doing late night activities as a comedian. A year later I switched back to running and achieved my personal goals. So, taking a break from running is not a big deal for me, because I know I can always come back to it later.

Adystra, Central Jakarta, Editor of Runhood Magazine

I used to run quite a lot. When we built our company (Runhood), I thought that my running activity would increase. But working in the running industry, and doing live reports on events makes it harder to maintain my running routine. So I always set a personal target once a year to keep me training. And this year my personal goal was to run the Chicago Marathon. And now with everything going on, I have to admit I kinda feel demotivated.

The running industry is at a low point now and it hits our company as well.

The interesting thing is, we’re trying to be more creative. We’re building more online access and events. Especially for runners in Indonesia, we’re trying to give chances to connect with the running industry from all around the world. We’re doing more collaborations with different levels of players.

Social media is flooded with people sharing workouts from home. It seems saturated, but at some point it shows that runners don't stop. This city is filled with influencers - beauty influencers, food influencers, travel influencers, and suddenly at the same time all of them have now become health and wellness influencers.

I may not do much running at the moment, but when I do online workouts, I always bring someone to join - I never do it alone. I think it’s the way I can give back to the people around me, by encouraging my social circle to start exercising.

Sudi, West Jakarta, Business-man!

The running communities in Jakarta are mostly separated.

We run with the members inside our community and we don’t usually interact with other communities. With the question now of whether to run or not run, it has been divided by personal preference. Our community has become runners who run and runners who don’t.

It’s good because now I’ve made more friends from other communities not because they are from a different crew, but because we choose to run.

Everyone says that wearing a face mask is the new normal, but I have to say, no running posts on social media after a run is the new rule! Because social judgement here has gone absolutely crazy.

Jane, Central Jakarta, Photographer

My running activity has increased during the pandemic. My mileage is higher.

All the facilities are closed - the gym, the pool. So going out and running has become the thing that I appreciate more. I could always wear buff while running so I don’t have an issue with wearing a mask.

Andriyanto, East Jakarta, Running Coach

At the moment, my priority is no longer finding clients. Some runners have quit the program because of the uncertainty, and I totally understand. The challenge as a coach is to maintain the mentality of these runners - I have to be creative with the program if I want to keep the runners on track.

Sometimes I encourage my runners to do some time trials for the sake of building their confidence. Maybe it doesn’t have a significant impact on their training, but it’s important to help the runner achieve a small victory to boost their spirit.

I keep telling them to do their training. And I always try to put positive vibes or share any good news on my Instagram, so that my runners don’t lose hope.

Keeping the runner’s mental state on track is as important as the training itself.

The law itself does not prohibit us from going out and running. I don’t understand why some runners are against it.

Weiny, Central Jakarta, Designer

The reason I’m staying at home during the pandemic is because I live with my mom - I can’t risk her safety by going out and maybe carrying the virus inside.

I’m less worried for myself than for her.

Until one day I was going out for some stuff, and I saw that the area I’m living in is like nothing happened. Well, it was less crowded but most of the local businesses were still open.

It sort of showed me that I can go out. So, now I drive out to the mountains to run. Because you can’t just put on your shoes and go for a run in Central Jakarta.