Running a marathon for this local dog is not just a fun game but seems to have become a passion, as he not only followed the athletes but also won the championship in the long-distance 42km run.
The main character of today’s story is named Cam, a “boss” living in a homestay in Moc Chau. Overnight, Cam became famous across social media for winning the Vietnam Trail Marathon 2020 (VTM 2020) in the 42km category. The event took place on the morning of January 11, with nearly 3,100 runners from 42 countries participating. The marathon featured four routes with lengths of 10, 21, 42, and 70 km, traversing valleys blanketed in white plum blossoms in Moc Chau.
At 3 AM on January 11, Cam saw two marathon runners pass by and suddenly felt inspired to join the race, happily following them. Little did he know, Cam’s determination to win was so strong that he quickly sprinted through difficult sections of the course, surpassing even professional runners and reaching the finish line first.
The dog completed the 42km distance without any gels or electrolytes, and despite being very tired and panting at the finish line, both the organizers and the runners were in awe of the determination of this local dog. The story becomes even more interesting as this was not Cam’s first time participating in the Vietnam Trail Marathon; the organizers confirmed that Cam had participated in the Vietnam Trail Marathon 2019 and although he did not win, he had become a formidable competitor for other runners.
Perhaps over the past year, Cam has been training to “get back” at VTM 2020, and the result is that he won without a bib (the identification number assigned to runners); although he was not officially recognized, for the participants of VTM 2020, Cam is the true champion of the 42km category.
The story doesn’t stop here; another humorous detail that made many people love Cam is that the entire family of his owner was in a panic, thinking that Cam had gotten lost somewhere. Even though they knew in advance that Cam would follow the group of runners participating in the marathon, Cam’s owner was still very worried.
In a recent update on the homestay page run by Cam’s owner, they wrote:
“This is Cam’s story on Vietnam Trail Marathon 2020…
At around 3 AM, while everyone was deep in sleep, Cam followed two marathon runners out to the Pine Forest to participate in the 70km category of the competition.
About 2 PM, the VTM page posted a notice looking for the owner of the dog at km 30, at that point I panicked and called the organizers. I flew like the wind to the finish line and saw him panting.
Runner Cam did not have a BIB so the organizers did not recognize the achievement of 70km.
By the way, does anyone know where to buy a GPS collar for dogs? I would like some information.
P/S: spent 300,000 VND on a taxi to pick up the special runner from the Heart Tea Hill back home. What a hassle.”
Previously, the owner of the dog also posted a notice looking for their lost dog who had followed the marathon runners. Surely next season, Cam will be strictly managed and will no longer have the chance to wander off and run in races.
On the post about Cam by VTN, runners and animal lovers expressed admiration for the resilient spirit of this local dog. Many shared photos they took of runner Cam as he completed the race. Runners all confirmed that Cam is very fit; he quickly outpaced everyone and always moved forward, without resting or needing electrolytes like other runners.
Hopefully, this heartwarming story will bring you much joy as the year comes to a close!
Source: quiznhe.com