A local costumed marathon runner is due to team up with a world-record-holding long-distance fancy-dressed runner for this year’s Jersey marathon.
Karl Fitzpatrick, perhaps better known as the man who runs in the Jersey Hospice Care shoe costume, revealed that he will be joined by ‘Rhino Boy Chris’ for the Standard Chartered Jersey Marathon in October.
Chris Green is a world-record-holding long-distance runner, known for completing half marathons, marathons and ultramarathons in a 13kg rhino costume to raise money for conservation charity Save the Rhino.
Mr Green has run the Jersey marathon twice before, but the 2025 rendition will bring him together with Jersey’s very own “shoe man” to raise funds for their individual causes.
“Me and Rhino Boy Chris are going to run together and spread some joy,” Mr Fitzpatrick revealed.
“We’ll take our time, put our arms around each other and just have a laugh.”
Mr Fitzpatrick said he started his own charitable running journey in March 2022 by signing up to the Hospice 2 Hospice half marathon to honour his friend’s father, who had passed away after being supported by Jersey Hospice Care.
After raising funds for the charity, Mr Fitzpatrick said he wanted to continue to “make a difference”, so completed the London Marathon for hospice in October of the same year.
He started running in the now instantly recognisable shoe costume in March 2023, after he returned to the Hospice 2 Hospice Half Marathon while preparing for his second London Marathon.
“I saw the guy in the shoe as a mascot, waving to people at the finish, so I said to the staff at hospice, ‘I’m running the London marathon in about three weeks’ time. Can I shoehorn myself in the shoe and give it a go?’” he said.
“I ran for three weeks on-and-off in the shoe and I felt fit enough to do it.”
Mr Fitzpatrick has since run a number of marathons in costume, raising over £25,000 for hospice in the process.
“When I first thought about Hospice, I thought it was where you go to die,” he said.
“In the small print, that’s probably true, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a family, a community.
“People’s loved ones are going to pass, but they’re looked after and made to feel special.”
He added that he was “in awe” of the volunteers, staff and nurses, so his commitment to running in costume was him doing his “little bit to give back”.
“The more I’ve got to know Hospice, the more I want to raise funds. I want to try to help,” he added.