Puppy love: Marathon runner carries dog 19 miles after finding it lost on route (VIDEO)

A marathon runner in Thailand picked up a new canine companion during a recent race, finishing the last 19 miles of the course carrying a puppy she had found lost along the way.

Khemjira Klongsanun, 43, was competing in the 27-mile race in Ratchaburi, western Thailand, earlier in January when she reportedly came across the Thai bangkaew breed pup wandering the course, seemingly lost as masses of runners skirted round it.

Fearing the pup had lost its way or been abandoned, and with no potential owner or home in sight, the kind-hearted Klongsanun stepped into action, gently picking up the pooch before carrying it with her for the rest of the route.

Footage of the race shows a beaming Klongsanun completing the course with her newly-acquired canine companion – although some fellow runners must have assumed she was barking mad.

“It seemed to me that this little guy was lost. There were no houses, no other dogs, or no people around. So, I picked up the puppy, if only to take him out of the unsafe environment," the runner said, according to the Daily Mail.

After attempts to find the pup’s owner failed, Klongsanun adopted it herself, adding him to her pet family which already includes two adult dogs.

She has named the dog Chombueng in honor of the race where the pair first met.

The runner admitted that going most of the distance with the pup had been tough, saying: “Running almost 20 miles carrying dog was truly a challenge. It was two times tiring than a normal marathon but I did it anyway just because he is adorable.

“It took a lot of time to take the new dog for checkups, vaccinations, and treatments but I'm glad to save him and willing to have him with other dog members in the family.

“It might take a while for him to adapt himself. But Chombueng is a very smart boy. I'm sure he is going to be happy living with us,” she added. 

The pair certainly appear to have got off on the right foot after their chance marathon meeting.