The Rock has held its first official Parkrun, at the Gibraltar Botanical Gardens, last Saturday.

Parkrun is a global popular free weekly 5k run, or walk, that takes place on Saturday mornings.

“Open to everyone, whether you want to walk, jog, run, volunteer, or simply come along to cheer, Parkrun is inclusive, welcoming and positive,” said Mark Delo, who together with Catherine Delo worked to bring the event to Gibraltar.

“There is no time limit, no one finishes last, and participants of all ages and abilities are encouraged to take part at their own pace.”

“Since starting in the UK in 2004, Parkrun has grown into a global movement with millions of people enjoying the physical, mental and social benefits of regular activity in a friendly, supportive environment.”
Speaking ahead of the proposed first event, Mr Delo, a long time Parkrun tourist who has run events in England, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Australia and elsewhere said the initiative had been 15 months in the making.
“The whole reason I did this was to put us on the map, because we’re not on the map,” he said, explaining that once Gibraltar appears on the Parkrun/5k app, expat runners along the Spanish coast and international “parkrun nutters” are expected to make a beeline for the Rock.

The inaugural run was held as an invite only soft launch, last Wednesday before the first official run on Saturday.
The location of the Alameda Gardens followed after months of scouting options which included the Upper Rock.
Once it was decided that the Botanical Gardens was the ideal location he set about mapping out the course with follower runners.
The three lap out and back 5km course starts on the long straight opposite the Rock Hotel entrance.
The route runs down the hill, across the Queen Elizabeth II area near the coronation stones, out towards the car park by “dog park”, then back up via Elliot’s monument and cannons before returning to the start.
The course is described as “hilly” but on improved surfaces, with the Botanical Gardens having recently filled potholes with fresh tarmac.
Traffic management and crowd flow are being addressed with 10 large traffic bollards supplied by the Minister for Sports, Leslie Bruzon, and additional on course markers. Runners will be asked to keep left to minimise congestion, especially as the event grows to include walkers and slower participants.
A donated equipment storage box has been secured for the gardens, with placement agreed with the park authorities.
Mr Delo repeatedly stressed that Parkrun “only works because of volunteers” and that securing a reliable core team will be key to the event’s survival in Gibraltar.
Despite his concerns about volunteering and competition from children’s sport on Saturday mornings, volunteers are already signing up for the events.
“Parkrun events can only happen thanks to the support of local volunteers. Every week, a small team of people kindly give up around 30-60 minutes to help with simple, enjoyable roles such as marshalling, timekeeping, barcode scanning, finish tokens, tail walking, first-timers welcome and set-up/take-down,” he said.

“The roles are fun, easy to learn and a great way to meet people, get involved in the community and be part of something positive. No experience is needed, full training and support are provided.”

“To ensure Gibraltar Botanical Gardens parkrun becomes a reliable, permanent fixture, we need to build a strong, active group of local volunteers who can share the responsibility and step in when it suits them.”

“This will give both residents and visitors confidence that the event will take place every Saturday, even during holidays and busy periods, encouraging people to book flights, hotels and trips knowing the parkrun will definitely be on.”

“We warmly invite everyone in Gibraltar to sign up as a volunteer for future dates via the parkrun website. The more local volunteers we have, the more sustainable and dependable the event becomes for everyone.”
He was also keen to emphasise that the new Parkrun is not intended to compete with Corre Libra, the established local running group whose sessions helped him rediscover running after 25 years.
“Corre Libra is the reason why I’m running,” he said. “There’s no way I want this to affect Corre Libra, because I owe them a lot.”
He explained that Corre Libra’s regular route cannot be converted into an official Parkrun because it crosses a live road, something Parkrun’s safety rules do not allow.
To avoid clashes, he pledged that on key dates such as Coral Libra’s 10th anniversary run, he personally would prioritise that event instead.
The Gibraltar event will operate under Parkrun UK, rather than as a separate country, due to cost and organisational constraints. This mirrors the model used in other British territories such as the Falkland Islands, which has sustained a successful Parkrun with a population of around 3,000.
“If the Falklands can do it with 3,000 people, we should be able to do it with 38,000,” said Mr Delo.
He described how running Parkruns had introduced him to new countries and communities, with locals often turning out after events to offer food and hospitality.
He believes Gibraltar can offer a similar welcome, turning the Saturday 5km into a tourism product as well as a community health initiative.
Runners/walkers need to register once at www.parkrun.com to receive their personal barcode, which can then be used at any parkrun worldwide.

“The free parkrun 5k app to track runs, view results, monitor personal bests and record attendance milestones (10, 50, 100, 250+ events),” he said.

He also noted the global challenges such as Alphabeteer, where completing a Gibraltar event earns the letter "G", he said describing it as “a popular and sought-after milestone for Parkrunners worldwide.”

“A growing trend of Parkrun tourism: visitors travel specifically to add new locations to their collection, boosting Gibraltar's profile and supporting local businesses as tourists combine their Saturday 5k with exploring the Rock.”

Mr Delo said that he and his volunteer team are hugely grateful to Dr Keith Bensusan at Gibraltar Botanical Gardens, Stuart Hedley at eBikes Gibraltar, and Jos Hoyte-Smith at The Gibraltar Institute Of Sport for their generous support, which has helped make the launch of Gibraltar Botanical Gardens parkrun possible.

The Gibraltar Botanical Gardens Parkrun, takes place every Saturday, at 9am start, with first timers being asked to arrive at 8.45am for a briefing and volunteers at 8.30am.

The meeting place is the Alameda, Gibraltar Botanical Gardens, on the Europa Road entrance opposite The Rock Hotel

“Everyone is welcome to join the parkrun team on Saturday mornings for this exciting new chapter in Gibraltar's community calendar. Whether you're a seasoned runner, just starting out, or prefer to volunteer and help make parkrun happen, come along and be part of the community spirit,” he said.