Meet Chris, aka "Rhino Boy," a dedicated marathoner who has taken his love for rhinos and turned it into a lifelong mission. With an incredible 104 marathons and ultra-marathons under his belt, each one completed in a rhino costume. Chris is running to help Save the Rhino International, a charity dedicated to protecting rhinos from extinction.
For Chris, rhinos have been a lifelong passion. “Growing up I had cuddly rhinos all around me, I had rhino posters on my wall and loved reading and learning all about them and pretty much always considered them my best friends! So when I grew up and discovered that they faced the threat of extinction I had to act. I mean who wouldn't want to stand up for their best friends,” Chris tells us. Today, he’s more than just a runner, he’s a dedicated Ambassador for Save the Rhino International and a Guinness World Record holder for the Fastest Marathon Dressed as a Mammal (London Marathon, 2021).
With three of the five rhino species critically endangered, Chris’s efforts couldn’t be more urgent. Running in the rhino suit is no easy feat. "You can't see or hear a lot in the costume and it's always hot and heavy and hurts a lot!" Through his efforts, Chris has raised over £34,000 for Save the Rhino International, funding projects that protect rhinos and support the local rangers and communities who look after them.
Chris’s love for rhinos extends beyond the running. He’s also written a children’s book called Matumaini: The Rhinos' Hope, which he uses to raise awareness and funds for the cause. Chris visits schools across the country, sharing the story of rhinos and conservation with young audiences, inspiring a love of wildlife in future generations. "I have been making more and more visits to schools all around the country, to talk all about this incredible animal and all about conservation,” he shares. "In every instance the children are so inspiring. They are always so enthusiastic and in the way they care so much they too really help keep me going."
In September 2024, Chris took his rhino costume on an unforgettable journey to Kenya, running 230 kilometres through conservancies where he encountered the very animals he’s working to protect. Running alongside rangers who risk their lives daily to guard rhinos from poachers, Chris was moved by the impact of his fundraising on the communities and conservation efforts that protect not just the rhinos, but entire ecosystems. “Helping rhinos is helping an entire ecosystem, it's helping people and protecting this fragile world and it's made me more determined than ever!” he reflects.
Chris first ran the ABP Southampton Marathon in 2022 and was overwhelmed by the warmth and support he received from the crowd. "It was a beautiful day and the whole city just seemed to come alive and really made the Rhino and I feel so welcome."
With the 2025 ABP Southampton Marathon on the horizon, Chris is ready to continue his mission, racing through Southampton’s streets to spread more rhino love. “I always say that as long as rhinos need saving that I won't stop. That's why I've travelled far and wide and kept running in every kind of condition and over every type of terrain. I've taken the rhino suit all over the world from New York to Nairobi and now I’m set to stampede around those Southampton streets again at the Marathon.” Join us in cheering on Rhino Boy Chris, and let’s help him make a difference for rhinos everywhere. You can follow his journey on Instagram @rhinoboychris.
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