Imagine training for months to conquer a marathon, only to have a dog—out for a quick pee—steal the spotlight. Sounds unbelievable, right? Well, that’s exactly what happened during the Elkmont Trackless Train Half Marathon in Alabama.
The runners were in the middle of their grueling 13.5-mile race when an unexpected competitor joined the pack—a two-and-a-half-year-old Bloodhound named Ludivine. She wasn’t on the official roster; in fact, she wasn’t supposed to be there at all. Ludivine had simply wandered out of her yard for a bathroom break when she spotted the runners. And like any curious pup, she couldn’t resist joining the chase.
Without hesitation, Ludivine wriggled under her garden fence and took off. Before anyone knew it, she was racing alongside seasoned marathoners. The best part? She didn’t just tag along; she secured 7th place!
Of course, Ludivine didn’t stick to the course the entire time. Along the way, she took a few detours. She stopped to play with a herd of cows and even paused to sniff a dead rabbit. Yet, despite her little adventures, she still managed to cross the finish line in an impressive hour and a half.
Her owner, April Hamlin, was stunned when she learned about her dog’s unexpected achievement. Imagine her surprise when she received a medal for Ludivine’s efforts!
“My initial reaction was one of embarrassment and concern that she could have gotten in the path of the other racers,” April shared. “She’s laid-back and pleasant, so I’m surprised she ran the entire half marathon because she’s usually very lethargic.”
Perhaps Ludivine had been saving her energy for this moment all along.
Photos of the determined Bloodhound running alongside competitors quickly went viral. Jim Clemens, who finished fourth, even admitted that Ludivine kept him on his toes. “Every time I thought she had dropped off to go home, I’d hear her racing back up to me, and she’d sprint past me up to the two leaders,” he said.
Now that her marathon adventure is behind her, Ludivine is back to her usual laid-back life with April. But who knows? Maybe she’s already plotting her next big race. We’ll be waiting to see what this spirited Bloodhound does next!
