The only contender who could possibly surpass the breakneck paces recorded at today’s Boston Marathon by winners Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia and Caroline Rotich of Kenya is a pug named Alice.
And the only reason Alice could accomplish such a task is that she was scheduled to run a 0.262-mile marathon today, a shortened distance that is all her pug legs can take of the 26.2 miles run by humans like her owner, Julia McGovern.
McGovern, who is running the Boston Marathon today and could not be reached by ABC News, told Boston.com she got her pug into the action because she is a “crazy pug person” and wanted to help raise money.
A family member told ABC News that Alice began to run her marathon -- actually a one-dog run, rather than a race -- today in McGovern's native town of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, where the Boston Marathon begins.
Boston Marathon Bombing Amputee Rebekah Gregory Returns to Cross the Finish Line This Is What Happens to Your Body When You Run a Marathon 2 Years After Bombings, a Festive Boston Marathon Mood“People really love Alice, so I thought, what an amazing way to tap into an already engaged community,” McGovern told Boston.com. “It’s the perfect time to raise money for a cause that’s close to home.”
Alice is already famous thanks to her own Instagram page that has more than 2,000 followers.
McGovern started a DreamFund page for Alice’s marathon training that, by Saturday, two days ahead of marathon day, had already gone $600 past it’s $2,000 goal.
The money, McGovern said, will be donated to the Pug Rescue of New England.
“A lot of people don’t think a pug can run a marathon. But I think I’m a true underdog story!” the fundraising page reads. “I’ve been working like a dog to get fit and training can be pretty ruff sometimes. So please consider doing your part to support me and my journey by donating to my dream.”
Six-month-old Alice made her first trip to Boston with McGovern on Thursday, according to Boston.com. McGovern and Alice currently live in the Los Angeles area.
“I just think the Boston Marathon itself triggers feelings of community and pride and it’s really nice for other people to feel a part of [that],” McGovern told Boston.com. “I like the sense of Alice creating a little community of pug supporters tied to the Boston Marathon, which is near and dear to my heart as well.”