Watch this stray dog join a marathon

 

 

 

As ninety-seven runners went through their paces at the Goldfields Pipeline Marathon they never expected a surprise entrant.  Kalgoorlie hosted the first edition of the marathon in 2013 and the event has grown in popularity ever since. We all know how dogs just love to join in when there’s any excitement about.  That’s exactly what this lovely mixed breed pooch (Stormy) did when he noticed the ‘half-marathon’ runners on the move.  He’d been seen milling around people in the crowd before the event began.  Once the air horn sounded and the runners took off, so did he.

Whilst Stormy’s exact origins where unconfirmed, after the race Stormy was taken to the pound by rangers and one of them left details of the dog’s whereabouts at a local Aboriginal community where it was suggested he may have wandered.

Once officials began collaborating it was discovered that Stormy had passed through every checkpoint just like a real competitor.  Most times he spent a little effort interacting with people at the check-points (perhaps he thought it was the fun-run).  When they worked out that he finished the race in around two and a half hours, he completed in the ‘average’ time frame including some crowd mooching at stops.  Not bad for a dog that probably didn’t plan to run 21kms that day; at least not until he heard the starting horn blast.  Oh well, there’s no time like the present.

The local community was so impressed, they awarded Stormy a participants medal.  One person was quoted as describing him as ‘A very good (and fast) boy. Staff caring for him at the pound said he was a lovely, friendly dog and hoped he would be claimed soon or adopted into a loving home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wypkuWtsCs

Leah & Angela OMeara

Hound Dog Day Care (Specialists in Dog Minding & Dog Boarding, Pet Sitting Brisbane & Doggy Day Care Brisbane)