Running 80 miles is not exactly an easy meal ticket and most likely would barely replace the incurred calorie deficit. Perhaps, but that cannot be the entire story. Incredibly, this resolute dog materialized somewhere in the middle of China’s Gobi Desert, scanned the competitors in a 155-mile stage-ultra and selected Australian runner Dion Leonard as his companion for the next 80-odd miles of adventure.Īt first, I thought that as an enterprising stray he simply showed up for a free handout. Meet Gobi, a sturdy, sandy-colored mutt with Chihuahua-style ears, a flagship tail and the focused stare of a runner determined to put in the miles however difficult they might prove. Join the almost too-good-to-be-true story of hope, friendship, and beating incredible odds in Finding Gobi: The True Story of One Little Dog's Big Journey by Dion Leonard.Book review by Laura Clark for the Spring 2018 edition of our Trail Times Newsletter. In a town of more than 3 million people, the search seemed hopeless, but this tale of friendship will surprise and delight you as you find out what happens! Just before they were about to leave, however, Gobi disappeared, setting off a worldwide search for the stray. They crossed the finish line together-not first, but together-and Dion decided to bring Gobi home to Scotland. He let her sleep in his tent and share his food, and eventually, his focus shifted from winning to the newfound friendship he and Gobi shared. The scrappy little pup ran mile after mile alongside Dion, through treacherous conditions and across raging rivers. Named for the desert in which he found her, Gobi became Dion's closest companion for 77 miles of the 155-mile race across China. Follow their unlikely friendship through the challenges of an 80-mile race and Dion's struggle to bring Gobi home for good.įinding Gobi: The True Story of One Little Dog's Big Journey is the incredible true story of Dion Leonard, a New York Times bestselling author and athlete, who was befriended by a stray dog while running an ultramarathon through the Gobi Desert. Bring home the incredible true story of a friendship so strong that it crosses the globe! You will love the inspiring tale of Gobi, a lost dog who kept pace with an ultramarathon runner, Dion Leonard, across a vast desert.

Gobi dog book