Prepare for your heart to swell with happiness. Over the past few years we have been hearing stories of dogs who accidentally run races. We have found our four favorites that are sure to make you smile. Get the tissues ready.
Little stray dog adopted after running 77 miles through the Gobi desert with his new best friend
In his book, Finding Gobi: A Little Dog With A Very Big Heart, Dion Leonard details how he met and adopted his best friend, Gobi. While running a sweltering 155-mile race though the Gobi Desert in China, a little stray pup joined him and ran 77 miles with Leonard. Leonard explains that witnessing the incredible determination from his new little friend changed his own heart and he knew that he had to make Gobi part of his family. They now spend their days going on fun adventures all over the world.
Dog finishes half marathon in 7th place after accidentally joining the race
After being let out to go to bathroom, Ludivine the bloodhound wondered to the start line of the Trackless Train Trek Half Marathon in Alabama. She started the half marathon with all of the other runners and, despite being distracted off course to greet bystanders and sniff a dead rabbit, finished the half marathon in 7th place with a time of 1:32:56. Ludivine even received her own finishers medal!
Woman adopts puppy after carrying him for 19 miles of a marathon
At mile 7 of the Chombueng marathon in China, Khemjira Klongsanun found a puppy on the course that everyone else was trying to avoid. The puppy looked lost and scared. Since the course was through a remote area, she scooped up the frightened puppy and ran with him for the next 19 miles, finishing the race with the fluff ball in her arms. After no owner came forward to claim the puppy, she adopted him and named him Chombueng. Chombueng now has two doggy siblings and a marathon finishers medal.
Dog finds family after hiking 430 miles through the Amazon Rainforest
Before beginning on the final stage of The Adventure Racing World Championship in Ecuador, a 430 mile hiking race through dangerous terrain, Mikael Lindnord shared a meatball with a friendly stray dog. The dog, they later called Arthur, started following the team on the journey. The hike was through deep mud, rugged ground and hot conditions. The Swedish team shared their food and water with Arthur and he continued to follow them. When they tried to leave him onshore during a kayaking segment of the race, Arthur jumped into the ice cold water and started swimming after the team. They pulled him out of the freezing water into their boat, gave him one of their coats and eventually finished the race with their new teammate, Arthur. After the race, Lindnord adopted Arthur and brought him back to his home in Sweden. The team also started a charity that helps Ecuadorian street dogs. Mikael Lindnord wrote a book about their adventure called Arthur: The Dog Who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home.
We hope these stories have warmed your heart like they have warmed ours. We know that dogs and humans have a special connection and these stories are a testament to that.
If you want more heartwarming stories straight to your inbox, become an insider below!
Sources:
The Telegraph UK (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/12121265/Dog-accidentally-runs-half-marathon-and-finishes-in-seventh-place.html)
Finding Gobi: A Little Dog With A Very Big Heart. Dion Leonard.
Runners world (https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/news/a26075028/woman-ran-marathon-carrying-puppy/)
Arthur: The Dog Who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home. Mikael Lindnord.
Become an Insider
