Marathon goat: animal runner wins hearts and a medal after crashing Newfoundland race

He may not have logged the fastest time or even gone the full distance, but residents of a Newfoundland town agree the goat who unexpectedly joined the local weekend half marathon was the event's undisputed champion.

Partway through Sunday's T’Railway Trek half marathon in Conception Bay South, N.L., an eager 68-kilogram (150 pound) goat named Joshua broke free from his collar and joined the runners on the route.

He kept pace for nearly a quarter of the race before being rounded up by his owners and now even has a medal to show for his efforts.

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Joshua stuck close with the crowd of runners, Taylor said, and managed to avoid roads and stay on a trail. The runners "kept him going, he would follow whoever he was running after."

“At one point he was leading the race,” Taylor said with a laugh.

Once she managed to collect Joshua, Taylor brought him down to the finish line so he could celebrate with his new running friends.

That’s where Joshua was awarded his half marathon medal. Jeanine Scott, a race volunteer, was the one who placed it around Joshua’s neck.

“I figured you know what, you don’t always see a goat at the finish line of a half marathon, so Joshua got the medal and he was sporting it quite well,” Scott said.