In what could only be described as an unexpected greatest-of-all-time (GOAT) performance, a pet goat named Joshua from Conception Bay South, N.L., decided to take his running goals into his own hooves at Sunday’s T’Railway Trek Half Marathon—uninvited, of course.
After seeing a group of runners pass by, Joshua reportedly broke free from his collar and escaped from the farm. He hit the ground running, reportedly covering four kilometres (2.5 miles) before his owners finally tracked him down.
Rather than dragging him back to the pasture, his owners, Heidi Taylor and her fiancé, embraced the chaos and let Joshua finish the race. After all, if he’s already run four kilometres, plus who wouldn’t want to see a goat cross the finish line? Proudly trotting to the end with his owners, Joshua received a finisher’s medal—a well-deserved prize for his efforts.
“He was actually leading the race at one point,” Taylor told CTV News, who only learned of her pet’s athletic debut after seeing a flood of Facebook posts. “We take Joshua for walks regularly, so when he saw people running, he probably thought, ‘I’m in!’”
Conception Bay South mayor Darrin Bent shared his thoughts on the race’s surprise guest: “When runners passed the pumpkin patch, Joshua decided, ‘Well, I’m not staying here—I’m joining them!’” Bent added, “The GOAT of the race really was a goat.”
Meanwhile in Newfoundland, a goat escaped during a half marathon in Conception Bay South, proceeded to run the half marathon, and was awarded a medal. What a time to be alive. pic.twitter.com/dWEt19nwBf
— Mikey 150 (@RangersEd150) September 29, 2024
According to CBC News, Joshua’s owners used social media posts to track him down mid-race, later posting about his safe return to the farm and thanking the runners who helped their furry athlete make it to the finish line. Now the proud owner of a medal and a heap of newfound fame, is it only a matter of time before we see Joshua, the GOAT, in Boston?
