Finding Gobi | FIDO Friendly

Finding Gobi

Issue 93

• Feature
• by Elise Phillips Margulis

Two Lost Souls in the Desert 

Dog joins ultramarathon in Chinese desert and finds forever home after a twist.

By Elise Phillips Margulis
Photos by Finding Gobi

In 2016, Dion was running a 155-mile ultramarathon in the Gobi Desert. Who he found in the desert would change everything. 

If you haven’t heard the story about Gobi, the dog who found her forever home by crashing an ultramarathon in the Chinese Gobi Desert, have a seat and read this story that features drama, humor, a couple of surprises, and a happy ending.

In 2016, Dion was running a 155-mile ultramarathon in the Gobi Desert. He described the conditions of the grueling race; “You have to carry all of your food and your kit to survive the week. It’s one of the world’s toughest races. The temperature is very high during the day and freezing at night.”

On the first day, he noticed a scruffy little dog running with some other marathoners. He was completely focused on the race, so despite being a lifelong animal lover, he didn’t pay attention to her. The second day, Dion was preparing to run and the dog, who he later named Gobi, began gnawing at his sneakers. Dion kept telling her to stop, and he began running. He was in third place and trying to find an opportunity to pass the two runners ahead of him.

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