China’s Gobi Desert March is not for the faint of heart. It is a grueling 7-day race on foot that spans the length of the Gobi desert in Mongolia. At 255 kilometers/155 miles, it’s a test of endurance and mental fortitude. Of all the people competing, Australian-born Dion Leonard is one built for the task at hand.
The race took months of training and preparation, but Dion wasn’t aware that a stray canine would throw him a curveball.
When Dion arrived at the start line for the race, he was the definition of focus. That’s when he noticed something wandering around the start line. It was a small stray dog.
Dion tried not to pay her any mind, but he didn’t know that the dog would be a big component of his race. She introduced herself by trying to chew his shoelaces, which made him try to shoo her away. The little dog seemed to become attached to Dion almost immediately. When the race began, the dog, named Gobi, ran after the runner.
Falling In Love With Gobi
On the third day of the race, Dion had a profound encounter with Gobi. He had reached an enormous waist-deep stream caused by snow melting from the Tian Shan mountain range. Seeing no way around, he hopped into the water and started to wade through it.
There was nothing on Dion’s mind but going for gold, but then he heard something behind him. He ignored the sound at first, not wanting to look back. But finally, he decided to turn and see Gobi barking on the river bank.
The small dog was too afraid to cross, and for good reason. It would never have made it across. That’s when Dion made a fateful decision.
Going Back For Her
He decided to head back across the river and ferry Gobi to the other side. As he looked at her, he fell in love with the animal. Knowing nobody else wanted the dog around, he would try to take care of her.
As the days progressed, Gobi would try her best to stay by Dion’s side, but it started to look bad when the weather got hot. Dion, seeing Gobi struggling, had to slow down and help her.
He knew this would cost him precious time in the race, but he started adopting a new mindset. He came into the race looking to win, but after finding Gobi, his priorities shifted. Dion wanted to stay by Gobi’s side and ensure she was safe.
Making Plans To Take Her Back With Him
After the race concluded, Dion waited to see if Gobi had an owner. After no one spoke out to take her, he knew what he had to do. He desperately wanted to take her home with him, but it was more complicated than just hopping on an airplane with her.
Thankfully, a local woman saw their bond and assisted them. Dion had to leave and head back home, but it would take weeks or months for Gobi to get approval to go with him.
The woman offered to help Dion with everything and send the Gobi to him once everything was in order. Dion headed back home, but just a few weeks later, he got a heartbreaking call.
Finding Her Again
Little Gobi had managed to get herself lost, which meant that she was missing, and nobody knew where she was. Dion refused to let that be the last he heard of her and hopped on a plane back to China.
Thankfully, after much searching and spreading awareness, Dion got a fateful call. A man and his son had found her. This time, Dion stays with Gobi in Beijing and only leaves when she can go with him. She now lives with him and his family in Edinburgh, where they had a happy ending.
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Meet Dion Leonard, Gobi Desert marathon man and his (tag-along) dog
