Imagine running a 155-mile race across the harsh, unforgiving landscape of the Gobi Desert. Out of nowhere, a small stray dog appears and chooses to run by your side. That’s exactly what happened to Dion Leonard, a marathon runner, during one of the toughest races of his life. The bond that formed between him and the little dog named Gobi was instant, but what happened next was beyond anything Dion could have expected.
Gobi ran nearly half the race with Dion, enduring difficult conditions just to stay close to him. But their journey didn’t end when the race was over.
More info: Instagram | findinggobi.com
Dion Leonard, a man from Edinburgh, Scotland, was competing in a 155-mile race across the Gobi Desert in China when his adventure took an unexpected turn
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Out of nowhere, a little dog began running alongside him in the race
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"I was at the race to compete and go for the win, so when, on day 2, she was at the start line and I looked down to see her chewing on my shoes, my initial thoughts were, 'Whose pesky dog is this? Someone get this dog away!' as the race was about to start. She (Gobi) definitely felt the instant connection. For me, it took a little longer to realize what was going on, but when I caught on, I was hooked," Dion shared with Bored Panda about his first thoughts of Gobi.
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Among all the runners, she picked him. Dion would glance down and see the dog running alongside him, and he named her Gobi
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It was on day 3 of the race when Dion realized that Gobi had become more than just a stray dog running with him. "I was about to take the lead when we encountered a huge water crossing, about a football field in length, with waist-deep rushing water caused by the snowmelt from the Tian Shan mountain range. I entered the water to take the lead when I heard whining and barking behind me.
I have always had this mantra of 'Don't look back,' stemming from my abusive and destructive childhood, so I persisted and carried on. But the barking and whining continued, and in an instant, I found myself looking back. I saw the dog running up and down the side of the riverbank; she knew that if she entered the water, she would get swept away in the fast current and drown.
In a split-second decision, I turned back and carried her across. At that moment, as I looked into her eyes after crossing the water, I saw myself in this stray dog—someone nobody wanted, nobody cared for—and I found myself falling head over heels in love with her."
Gobi ran 80 miles by his side, through the heat and rough terrain, even sleeping next to him at night in the tents
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There were days when the weather was too hot for Gobi to run, and Dion had to make sure she stayed safe, even if it meant he had to slow down and sacrifice his chance of winning. Despite the challenges, their bond grew stronger. Dion realized that winning the race wasn’t as important as staying by Gobi’s side.
After the race ended, no one came forward to claim Gobi, and Dion knew he wanted to take her home with him to Edinburgh
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But first, she needed to see a vet. A local woman offered to help by taking Gobi to the vet because Dion couldn’t stay in China. She promised him that she would send Gobi to him once everything was in order
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Weeks passed, and then the heartbreaking news came: Gobi had gone missing
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Without hesitation, Dion decided to fly back to China to find her
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When he arrived, Dion quickly set up a search team, enlisting the help of volunteers and local people
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Posters of Gobi were hung all over the city, and everyone was on the lookout for the little dog who had captured Dion’s heart.
Then, one day, Dion received an unexpected call. A man and his son were walking through a park when they noticed a small dog following them. It looked just like Gobi
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Dion rushed to the location. When he finally spotted her, Gobi recognized him immediately
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As soon as the dog saw Dion she came running towards him, jumping into his arms, licking his face. Gobi had been found!
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"We spent a few months living together in Beijing in an apartment complex while we completed the necessary blood tests and got her passport to travel back to the UK. This was really a big adjustment to start with, but she adapted incredibly well. She just seemed to pay attention and had a sixth sense for what was expected of her. She is truly so adaptable and amenable to change—it’s unbelievable!"
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Now, Gobi lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, with Leonard, his wife Lucja, and their cat Lara, and they travel the world together
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"The big test was coming home to Edinburgh, where she had to meet her cat sister, Lara, for the first time. Lara is a Ragdoll cat who spent her life indoors and had never met a dog before, and Gobi loves to chase cats, so this was going to be a real challenge! Amazingly, they both took it in stride. It was as if they knew, despite being a dog and a cat, that my wife, Lucja, and I loved them both, so they somehow sensed they would be safe together.
It’s really odd because Gobi was so sweet and gentle with Lara, but with any other cat… LOOK OUT!"
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According to Dion, there have been no challenges in raising Gobi. "Gobi really is the absolute sweetest dog. She just really fell into our lives and adjusted without any need for training, she is just so intelligent and amazing it's so hard to describe."
Gobi doesn't run as much anymore since she's a bit older now. They believe she's around 10 years old
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"Gobi has retired from ultra running! For quite a few years, we did some 5km runs for charity, which was great, but she celebrated her 10th birthday in June, and now she prefers hiking over running. We still go on great adventures on the trails together as a family. We have a special backpack to carry her in when she needs a break, which is perfect for big days out. She still gets to be part of the adventure—we just sneak in a little rest for her, but she feels like she’s done it all.
We love spending every day together, whether we’re adventuring on a trail or just hanging out on the couch watching Netflix."
"I don't know why she chose me. I was very fortunate"
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Dion Leonard also published a book titled Finding Gobi, sharing their incredible journey together
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"It was one of those miracle experiences. I guess we only have one of these in our lives"
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