Stray Dog Ran 77 Miles With Him 😮🐶

A stray dog followed this man for 77 miles during a 155‑mile ultramarathon in the Gobi Desert, even joining him in his tent at night. He named her Gobi and later crowdfunded £5,000 to bring her back to Scotland.

I still remember the first time I saw that photo—a tiny, scruffy dog trotting alongside an ultrarunner in the middle of the Gobi Desert. It was like watching a real-life fairytale unfold in the harshest conditions imaginable. But this isn’t fiction. It really happened. And it changed both their lives forever.

In June 2016, Australian‑British ultramarathon runner Dion Leonard, already well-known for pushing his limits across the world’s toughest terrains, arrived in China to tackle the Gobi Desert Run—a brutal 155‑mile journey through scorching heat, jagged mountains, and sleep‑depriving nights. Contrasting the epic emptiness around him, something small and unexpected appeared on the trail: a stray dog.

It was the second day of the race, Stage II, a gruelling 25‑mile trek. Dion noticed a scrappy, sand‑colored dog at the start line—playfully biting his gaiters—and initially shooed her away. That should’ve been the end of it. But the dog had other plans. She followed him all 25 miles of that stage, and then curled up in his tent that night. Over the next couple days, she stayed. She ran the 26‑mile third stage. Dion picked her up and carried her across water barriers when she couldn’t keep up. By the fourth day, he’d named her Gobi, after the desert they were both traversing.

She didn’t complete the entire 155-mile course—when temperatures soared above 52 °C, the race entered terrain too intense even for her tall yet fragile spirit. But she stayed for 77 miles—exactly half the race—walking, running, and sleeping beside Dion night after night.

They made it to the finish line together. Dion didn’t win first place, but he’d gained something more powerful: a friend. He realized the race wasn’t over. Gobi couldn’t enter the UK without meeting vaccination and quarantine rules—and when she went missing in Urumqi, the nearest city, his heart nearly stopped. He booked a flight back to search for her, posting flyers, using social media, and assembling volunteers. Days later, they found her—hurt but alive. It was a reunion that felt nearly miraculous.

Determined to bring Gobi home, Dion launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £5,000. Within days, the project blossomed, eventually collecting over £38,000 from supporters moved by their bond. The extra money wasn’t spent—it was donated to animal welfare charities in China.

By early 2017, Gobi arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland, after completing her quarantine. She lived with Dion and his wife, Lucja, settling into a life she never expected but obviously deserved.

They even co‑authored a bestselling memoir, Finding Gobi, which hit New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller lists. For readers of all ages, the story spread wings. There’s a children’s edition, a middle‑grade adaptation, a picture book, and even a “seek and find” interactive version released in 2024.

Their tale also attracted global attention—BBC News covered their story, and Dion became a speaker on stages around the world. Netflix and Sony are reportedly developing a film based on the journey. Gobi earned honors at charity award shows and even joined Dion to receive accolades in Slovenia and the UK.

But for me, all that doesn’t matter. What matters is the bond. A stray dog, alone in the harshest landscape on earth, chose companionship over survival. And a man, trained to endure pain and distance, decided to break his own rules to protect her. They didn’t just finish a race—they declared, loudly and clearly, that love isn’t only about human hearts.

Today, Gobi lounges on couches, chases neighborhood squirrels, and wiggles into people’s arms like any dog rescued from hardship. And Dion, in interviews, often says he gained more than any medal that day—he gained perspective.

As Gobi herself might say (if dogs could talk): you don’t have to be big to matter. And sometimes, the most important life‑changing moments happen when you share your solitude with a friend.