5in5 team prepares ‘The Last Dance’ in aid of GBC Open Day

The team behind the 5 in 5 endurance challenge is preparing what may be the last event of its kind, this year held in support of the GBC Open Day, naming it The Last Dance.

One of the organisers, Charles Harrison, told the Chronicle that the team are promising an inclusive, community-focused fundraiser that welcomes participants of all abilities.

The 5 in 5 challenge will see a team, comprising of Charles Harrison, Adrian Lopez and Kieron Alvarez, complete five half ironmans in five days, starting on Tuesday, June 16 and finishing on Saturday morning.

The event starts with a 90km bike ride on the Rock’s roads, early in the morning in a bid to miss rush hour traffic. Following the bike segment, the team embark on a 21.1km run, completing a number of laps of the same course, before finishing at the GASA pool. Once done running, they will ready themselves for a 1.9km swim in the sea from the Pavilion to the rowing clubs and back.

Speaking about the decision to dedicate the event to the GBC Open Day, Mr Harrison said the choice was driven by gratitude for the broadcaster’s continued support over the years.

“They’ve supported us so much and they’ve given so much of their time. Every time we’ve asked them to be on The Hub, to be on the radio, they’ve dropped everything to accommodate us,” he said.

He added that, as this is expected to be the last 5 in 5 in this format, the team felt “it was only fair” that the GBC Open Day should be the beneficiary.

In a bid to prepare themselves, and anyone that wishes to join them during the challenge, regular training sessions have taken place with more forecast.

On Thursday mornings at 6.15am, the team gather at GASA for the run, and what started as a handful of runners a few weeks ago has grown to over 20. Among that number was nine-year-old Zack Reoch.

After a school outreach program where the team talked to students, Zack insisted on joining his Dad Matt at a training session and woke up at 5:30am to run 5km with the group before his school sports practice.

“That’s what we want to try and do. Obviously we want the fundraising, but we want the education too, inspire the next generation, keep people active,” said Mr Harrison.

He repeatedly said that the event belongs to the wider community and is “not about us three.”

“Without everyone else it would just be us three running around like three idiots,” he said.

“When people see how much we’ve raised, it’ll be like, ‘We were part of that.’ That’s what I want them to feel, to be part of that 5 in 5 family.”

The team is also planning Tuesday cycling sessions and, when the weather improves, some open water swimming sessions.

Cycling sessions will be used to test traffic conditions and refine routes, with distances of 30–35km targeted on training days, as they are mindful of busy areas such as Devils Tower Road and the east side.

On the open-water swimming front, training will begin once sea temperatures rise. Lunchtime or afternoon sessions are planned, with swims of around 35–50 minutes so participants can experience the conditions they’ll face on event days.

While the format remains the same (bike, run and swim) as other years, there will be a change on the last day and it will end with the run in Casemates where a big family day is planned.

Details of this are still being worked on, but Mr Harrison and the team promises it will be fun and it will be big.

As in previous editions, each day of the 5 in 5 will have a theme.

Day one is Remembrance day where they honour and remember loved ones who are no longer with us.

Day three is Auction day, day four is Wear A Hat day and day five, the finale, the big family day.

To recognise effort and commitment, the team will present ten medals per day to reward the “stars of the day”. These recipients will not necessarily be the fastest athletes, but those who overcome personal barriers or supported the event behind the scenes.

“It doesn’t need to be in the sporting side of things, that medal is just showing that you’ve been part of our journey,” said Mr Harrison.

There is no entry fee for the 5 in 5 events, participants are invited to donate whatever they can afford, and there is one key message: anyone can take part, and no one should be put off by distance, pace or experience.

Participants can choose to run, cycle or swim only, or to complete shorter sections such as run a single 5km loop rather than the full distance.

“Somebody that maybe has never run outside, wants to come and do one loop, great, that would be huge for us,” he said.

Previous events have seen people use snorkels and flippers to complete open-water sections, it does not matter, what matters is “breaking those barriers of, maybe, the mental side of things. Those are the things we want to achieve as a team,” he added.

“For me, it’s not competition. As long as we can raise the awareness that we want to raise and the money that we can, then that’s the most important thing for us,” said Mr Harrison.

Even since its inception, the support for the 5 in 5 has grown over the years with participants proudly wearing their 5 in 5 shirts all year round and even abroad.

Above all, the event aims to bring Gibraltar’s community together, create “core memories”, and show people that they can achieve more than they think.

“When the community comes together, it’s such a beautiful thing for us,” Mr Harrison added.

Donations can be made via GoFundMe at
https://www.gofundme.com/f/5in5-the-last-dance or via Revolut, using @5in5gib