On September 29, the Canadian town of Conception Bay South held its inaugural half marathon, complete with a special participant: a goat named Joshua.
Joshua's owner, Heidi Taylor, said that around 9:30 a.m. local time, Joshua was preparing to go to the pumpkin patch where he lived to feed himself. Washington Post. Half an hour ago, when the racers started crossing the pumpkin patch, Joshua decided to join the runners. Taylor's fiancée saw neighbors on Facebook posting photos of Joshua crossing the crosswalk, but the goat appeared to be following other runners and staying on course with the help of crossing guards who stopped traffic and tried to redirect him.
With the help of neighbors on Facebook, they managed to find the 10-year-old goat a few kilometers away. Since he had already run three miles of the half marathon, Taylor pushed him closer to the finish line where he would finish the race. Like every runner, he received a medal.
The goat is “relatively well known” in town, according to Conception Bay South mayor Darrin Bent. “But he has a newfound reputation.”
According to Taylor, Joshua likes to follow people and take short walks when he's near the pumpkin patch. When he saw a group of people running in the same direction, he couldn't control himself and managed to break free from his metal collar. “He loves the excitement,” Taylor said.
We don't yet know if Joshua will start training to set a new personal record next year.