As a software developer, I spend most of my days sitting in front of a screen.
Writing code, fixing bugs, and jumping between meetings are part of my daily routine. Hours pass quickly when you're deep in problem-solving mode. But after a while, I started to realize something: my life had become too static.
Most of my movement during the day was just moving between my chair, the kitchen, and sometimes a coffee shop.
But everything changed because of something very simple: the beach.
Realizing a Simple Privilege
I live relatively close to the beach.
One day it hit me: why have I never just gone there to walk and enjoy the view?
It sounds strange when I think about it now. The beach is one of the most beautiful and calming places you can visit, and it’s literally near my home. Yet for a long time, I rarely went there.
Instead, like many young people, I often spent my free time in coffee shops or other trendy places. I didn’t realize how easily money and time disappear when that becomes your routine.
Meanwhile, the beach was always there.
Accessible.
Peaceful.
And almost free.
All I needed to do was pay a small parking ticket worth 2,000 rupiah.
That realization made me question something: why wasn’t I using this privilege?
The First Time I Went Just to Walk
One day I decided to change that.
I went to the beach with no big plan. I didn’t bring special gear or prepare a workout routine. My only intention was simple: walk and enjoy the sea view.
The atmosphere was different from anything I usually experienced in my daily routine.
The sound of waves.
The cool sea breeze.
The open horizon.
After spending so many hours in front of a monitor, seeing such a wide open space felt refreshing. My mind felt lighter.
That simple walk made me realize how disconnected I had been from my surroundings.
When Walking Turned Into Running
After going to the beach several times, something interesting happened.
Walking slowly turned into jogging.
Then jogging slowly turned into running.
At first, it wasn’t about fitness or performance. I wasn’t thinking about pace, distance, or personal records. I simply enjoyed moving while watching the ocean.
Running gave me a new way to experience the beach.
Instead of just standing still, I was moving along the coastline, feeling the breeze, watching the sky change colors as the sun started to set.
It became something I looked forward to.
A Small Push From My Father
When my father saw that I had started running regularly, he was quite supportive of the habit.
At one point, he even bought me a pair of running shoes from a local brand to help me get started.
I think part of the reason was that he was happy to see me being active. But on the other hand, he was probably also worried that I might get injured if I kept running without proper running shoes.
That small gesture meant a lot to me.
It made the habit feel more real and more serious. Instead of just casually jogging in whatever shoes I had, I now had something specifically meant for running.
And every time I wore those shoes, it reminded me that someone believed in this small new habit I was building.
When Curiosity Turned Into Learning
As I became more consistent with running, something else started to happen.
My curiosity grew.
As someone who works in tech, I naturally enjoy learning about frameworks, libraries, and how things work. That curiosity slowly extended into running.
I started reading about the science behind training.
Concepts like MAF training, lactate threshold, heart rate zones, and endurance adaptation suddenly became interesting topics to explore.
Running was no longer just about moving my body. It became something I wanted to understand and improve.
I began to realize that running has its own kind of engineering. A combination of physiology, consistency, and smart training.
Investing in My Progress
As I learned more about training principles, I wanted a better way to track my progress.
That’s when I decided to invest in a sports watch.
At first, it felt like a big step. But having the ability to monitor things like heart rate, pace, and training data made running even more engaging.
For someone with a technical mindset, seeing the numbers and patterns behind each run added a whole new dimension to the activity.
It helped me understand my body better and train more intentionally.
Running slowly became a blend of movement, nature, and data.
Appreciating What Was Already There
Looking back, I think the biggest lesson from this experience is learning to appreciate what was already around me.
Sometimes we look for experiences in expensive places or trendy environments, while something much more valuable is right in front of us.
For me, it was the beach.
A place that had always been nearby, but one that I rarely took the time to truly enjoy.
Running simply became the excuse that helped me rediscover it.
My Final Thoughts
Starting to run wasn’t part of a big life plan.
It began with a simple question: why don’t I go to the beach more often?
That small curiosity turned into a new habit that improves both my physical health and mental clarity.
As a software developer, running helps balance the long hours I spend sitting in front of a computer.
And sometimes the best part is simply this:
Running while looking at the ocean, knowing that one of the greatest privileges I have is living close enough to enjoy it.
All it takes is a 2,000 rupiah parking ticket, a pair of running shoes, a little curiosity about training, and the decision to start moving.
