Team Peak Performance of Sweden was among the brave soles that competed in the recent Adventure Racing World Championship in Ecuador, a huge test of endurance that includes hiking, mountain biking and kayaking over the span of 430 miles.
But after team captain, 38-year-old Mikael Lindnord, shared a meatball with a mangy stray dog, the dog decided to follow the team for the vast majority of the competition, building up a fierce loyalty to the team.
Although the team placed sixth in the competition, the dog, nicknamed ‘Arthur,’ stubbornly followed the foursome the entire time.
The team was advised to leave the dog behind as they approached the the kayaking section, which they tried to do.
But Arthur swam after them, determined to be the fifth member of the team for the remainder of the journey.
In a heartwarming gesture, the team was so moved by Arthur’s dogged determination that they decided to formally adopt him after the race.
Although they lost the race, they left with something even greater — a new friend that stuck with them through thick and thin.
