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Ultra marathon runner met a stray dog halfway across China’s Gobi desert, and it changed his life. Here he talks to Cheryl Akle about ‘Gobi’ and the book he wrote about her.
About the author:
Dion Leonard is an Australian/British ultra runner who competes around the globe in ultra running events ranging from 30 miles to over
200 miles in some of the most extreme conditions known to man. Dion has numerous top 10 finishes in some of the toughest races on the planet. He wrote Finding Gobi, the International Bestselling book (New York Times Bestseller, Sunday Times Bestseller, Top 10 Canada x 14 weeks, Top 10 Italy, Australia and New Zealand ) about the amazing true story of meeting Gobi the Chinese stray desert dog during one of his marathons.
Dion is also a highly regarded and accomplished motivational speaker who has guest spoken with the likes of Prince Edward, President of Slovenia, TEDx and at numerous corporate, fund-raising, charity and evening functions.













Dion Leonard is an accomplished ultra runner from Australia and Britain. He has participated in challenging races worldwide, covering distances ranging from 30 to over 200 miles. Dion has achieved several top 10 finishes in some of the most demanding events on Earth. He is also the author of the internationally bestselling book, “Finding kmartfeedback Gobi.” This captivating story recounts his incredible encounter with Gobi, a stray desert dog from China, during one of his marathons. “Finding Gobi” has been recognized as a New York Times Bestseller, Sunday Times Bestseller, and has reached the Top 10 lists in Canada for 14 weeks, as well as in Italy, Australia, and New Zealand.