Ludvine The Hound Dog Does Quite Well In Half Marathon Race

Ludivine the hound dog
poses with her medal after
finishing an Alabama
half marathon in very fast time. 

Congratulations go out this morning to Ludivine, a 2 and a half year old hound dog who last weekend finished the inaugural Trackless Train Trek Half Marathon in Elkmont, Alabama, in the very good time of 1:32:56.

Ludivine charmed the half marathons, and now much of the world after her story went viral.

Ludivine was let out of her home to do her business last week when she noticed the half marathon starting.

So she decided to run the whole thing, much to the delight of fellow runners. Ludivine really ran the whole, entire half marathon, though there were a couple of detours to investigate a brook and a dead rabbit, says Runners World, via Canadian Running Magazine. 

Ludivine's time in the half marathon was good enough for her to finish seventh place and receive a medal.

I, like many others, love the idea of a dog liking sports and other people so much that she would run a half marathon with everybody.

Her owner, April Hamlin, had let Ludivine outside to do her business, just as the half marathon's starting gun was about to sound nearby.

Hamlin said Ludivine has a penchant for venturing out through the small town of Element, with a population of about 500, so it wasn't surprising that she wandered off.

That Ludivine would run an entire half marathan DID surprise Hamlin, though, reports Runners World. 

"She's actually laid back and friendly, so  I can't believe she ran the whole half marathon because she's actually really lazy," Hamlin said,

Not as lazy as Hamlin thought, apparently.

Ludivine looking fine as she approaches the finish line
of the recent Trackless Train Trek Half Marathon in
Elkmont, Alabama. Photo by Jake Armstrong.

Incredibly, another very notable record was set at this small town half marathon, notes Canadian Running Magazine.

A boy named Gratton O'Neill, 8, ran the marathan allmost as quickly as Ludivine, finishing at 1:38:22. That's a new world record for the fastest half marathon time for a person under the age of 10.

The town is thrilled by Ludivine's epic run and ensuing fame, since what she did was a community service.

That's because the half marathon was a fundraiser for the local high school cross country running team. The school district doesn't have a lot of money, so Ludivine's run is bringing attention and donations to the school.

Again, congratulatons, Ludivine! And Gratton!