Finding Gobi, by Dion Leonard

Finding Gobi is both Dion’s memoire and the story of how a little dog from the Gobi desert ended up finding his way to a family in the UK. Dion talks about some difficult moments in his life like when his father died of an asthma attack when he was only 9 years old, and then how his mom told him that his dad was never really his dad. Despite a difficult start, Dion made a good life for himself and found the love of his life, Lucja.

Although neither Dion nor his wife were runners when they met, they both became avid ultra-runners who love a challenge. One of these challenges brought Dion to China for a 155 mile multi-day stage race through the Gobi desert where he found a little dog which he later named Gobi… actually it was more like the dog found Dion and then followed him while he ran the race... Dion fell in love with this little dog but trying to bring him home to the UK would prove to be another adventure, one that ended up bringing people together from all around the world to help make it happen.

Dion Leonard is an ultra marathon runner with many top 10 finishes in some of the world’s toughest races including the Badwater 135. He also won races including the Kalahari Extreme 155 mile race, Delirious W.E.S.T. 200 miles and become the first male to run the Grand Slam of 100's (silver buckling in all races), and the gruesome Leadman Series in one year. The race that changed Dion’s life forever was a 155 mile ultra-race in the Chinese Gobi Desert when a stray dog ran with him, forming an unbreakable bond that would become the ultimate challenge of overcoming adversity to achieving the unachievable.

Finding Gobi can be found through all the usual outlets, and you can also buy it directly off the publishers website: https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9780008227975/finding-gobi-main-edition-the-true-story-of-a-little-dog-and-an-incredible-journey/

If you would like to follow Dion Leonard, his website is: https://www.dionleonard.com or you can go to https://www.findinggobi.com. You can also follow Gobi or Lara the cat on Instagram.

Big thank you to the publisher, Harper Collins, for providing a review copy of the book, and to the author Dion Leonard for taking the time to speak with us.