She was just seven miles into a marathon in Thailand when runner Khemjira Klongsanun saw runners ahead dodging a puppy. She stopped at the side of the road and tried to coax the trembling pup over and since there were no houses nearby, she decided it must have been abandoned. But instead of leaving it behind and continuing to run, she picked the puppy up and carried it the rest of the marathon - all 19 miles of it.
Klongsanun crossed the finish line holding the puppy and appealed to the owner to come forward, but when no one did, she adopted the dog. Her new companion, who she named Chombueng, now lives with her and her two other dogs.
“It seemed to me that this little guy was lost,” she explains. “Running almost 20 miles carrying dog was truly a challenge. It was two times more tiring than a normal marathon but I did it anyway just because he is adorable.”