Here’s how many marathons a chihuahua finished…yes, you read that right

If you need a funny and positive story to perk up your day or motivate you to go for a run, this is it.

By Steph Green Published January 26, 2025

chihuaha — Nishizuka / Pexels

You can imagine animals like zebras and antelope running long distances across vast areas of land, but a chihuahua running a marathon is a whole different story. If you need a funny and positive story to perk up your day, this is it. While other pampered pooches snuggle into their beds in the comfort of home, one fierce and athletic little chihuahua just keeps crossing that finish line. So, how many marathons did the dedicated Jellybean finish?

Crossing the finish line

chihuaha — Ellie Burgin / Pexels

9-lb Jellybean is an energetic six-year-old chihuahua mix who has successfully completed six marathons, and now, she’s trying to break her running record in 2025. A full marathon is 26.2 miles, which is an impressive distance for a chihuahua. As Jellybean’s owner reminds us, potential isn’t defined by appearances; it’s about heart, determination, and putting the work in.

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In California, Jellybean has made a name for herself running alongside her owner, Andrew Owens, who wants her to make it in the record books for a half marathon as well as a marathon. After adopting Jellybean in 2020, it took some time for the little dog to settle in, but once she got a taste, she was quite literally off to the races.

The fastest-recorded marathon time

marathon people finishing finish line running — Pitero Rampazzo / Unsplash

Andrew Owens shares that his and Jellybean’s fastest marathon time so far was 3 hours and 47 minutes at the Garmin Kansas City Marathon last year. Their fast finishing time speaks to their dedication and training, including 2-1 interval training.

One paw at a time

human hand holding dog paw — Blue Bird / Pexels

Andrew Owens said he started out slowly with shorter runs. They ran a half mile, and she was still running around at home, so he knew she was ready for more. Now, they train every weekend together, often training 20-30 miles in one weekend. They also frequently go hiking together in the great outdoors. Jellybean challenges stereotypes and we can take advice from this little chihuahua about not giving up and starting out slowly as a beginner until we’re ready to cross the finish line.

Steph Green is a content writer specializing in healthcare, wellness, and nutrition. With over ten years of experience, she…

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