10/31/2026
Dion Leonard, a seasoned ultramarathon runner from Scotland, was participating in the 155-mile Gobi Desert Run in China when he noticed a small stray dog join him.
The dog, who Dion later named Gobi, ran alongside him for a remarkable 77 miles. “On Day 2, I was at the start line for the race stage and she was standing next to me looking up at me,” Leonard told The Dodo.
“I thought to myself this little dog isn’t going to last very long at my side as we raced off, but she ended up running the whole day and 23 miles distance.”
After crossing the finishing line and settling in at camp, the dog still refused to leave Leonard’s side.
From then on, they were inseparable, and Leonard decided to name his new companion Gobi.
Day 3 was no different. Again, with Leonard by her side, the formerly unloved dog ran along for that 26-mile stretch.
Gobi had to sit out for Day 4 and 5 because the weather was deemed too extreme to let her participate. Instead, she was given a lift to the ending point by race organizers so that she’d be there to greet Leonard as he came in.
On the sixth and final day, however, she was back in the race - running along with Leonard until they crossed the finish line as a team.
He successfully brought Gobi home to Edinburgh after a 4 month period of medical clearance and quarantine in China, they were finally able to reunite and stay together.