Running man Jockey Conor taking on marathon challenge
CONOR Shoemark has reignited his passion for running while limbering up to start a new job for the National Hunt season.
The 24-year-old is joining the Dan Skelton yard but first he has an important charity mission to complete as the Stow-on-the-wold jockey will run the Berlin Marathon on September 16.
Shoemark is lacing up his trainers for Cancer Research UK, after his girlfriend’s father was diagnosed in February.
Chris Stock, the owner of design and print business Finnick Group, is battling pancreatic cancer like nine-time champion Flat jockey Pat Smullen.
Conor said: “Chris is fighting hard. I thought it would be good to do something for Cancer Research.
“Berlin will be my first marathon and the training has been keeping me fit.
“I used to run competitively but when I became a jockey I stopped.”
On his comeback for Bourton Roadrunners, Conor finished 10th in the Fairford 10k and built on that in the Sherborne equivalent, coming home first in 38.02.
The following weekend turned out to be a lot less straightforward, as his brother Kieran was injured in a race at Lingfield. He had driven Kieran to the races with his girlfriend Abi Stock, but that night they were rerouted to hospital while he was treated for six broken ribs and a punctured lung.
As Kieran recovers, Conor is nursing a minor complaint of his own, as a sore heel has postponed his marathon training for a week.
“I start at Dan Skelton’s yard in midaugust,” he said. “Harry and Bridget (Andrews) are there but they have an awful lot of nice horses and I’m looking forward to it. It’s a good opportunity.” Conor’s parents Niamh and Ian, also involved with Bourton Roadrunners, will fly out to support in Germany. Abi was due to tackle her own run with cousins Milly Willmore and Molly Stock, but had to pull out of the Cheltenham Race For Life as it came the day after Kieran’s accident.
She said her dad was thrilled to see one of his horses, Good Tradition, win the day after his diagnosis. The result was extra special as the seven-year-old was ridden by son Harry.
“Dad is having treatment and we hope he will have an operation at the end of it,” Abi continued. “The news came as a real shock to us. You never expect it to be that. “Conor wanted to do something to help and it’s been nice to see him get back into running. “He’s very good at it. If he’s racing he will run around the track or the area to fit in more miles. “I know he’s competitive too so he’ll be looking to get a good time.”
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