Another Half-M

[bluespirit]

Registration opened yesterday morning at 9am for the Royal Parks Half Marathon in London this October.
After three & a half hours of frustration & the site constantly crashing due to the huge numbers trying to get a place, I was finally able to get places for me & Mr B!
We decided to run this race as all our attempts at getting places in the London Marathon have so far failed & we really liked the idea of doing a 'big' race like this around the gorgeous sights of London.
The route starts in Hyde Park & goes past the Houses of Parliament, along the Embankment up to Blackfriars, through Admirality Arch, down the Mall, past Buckingham Palace & through the Wellington Arch, back into Hyde Park past Marble Arch, into Kensington Park, past Kensington Palace & the Royal Albert Hall before finishing back in Hyde Park. It sounds amazing & should be loads of fun!

We're hoping to run this race to raise money for Labrador Rescue South East & Central - the rescue organisation we got our beautiful Buddy from! ♥

Comments

[becs8.livejournal.com]

That's awesome. Hope it's fun (and it doesn't rain).

I’m curious – and this is probably just plain ignorance,stupidity,etc. – but are there different kinds of Labradors? Buddy looks different than any labs I’ve ever seen before. Is there a difference between the European and USA variety?

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's October in England - so it could go either way (more chance of rain in all honestly! LOL)

I don't think that the European & North American Labs are different (not to my knowledge) but you do get two different kinds of Lab. There's the 'field' or 'working' type - like Rascal was. These tend to have 'pointier' faces & are quite lean, they're bred to be active working dogs for hunting, etc. (Though they also make fabulous family dogs!)
Rascal ♥ ...

Then there's the somewhat confusingly called 'English' or 'show' type (but you get these in the US too! *g*) - like Buddy. They have much squarer faces & are typically bred for the show ring.

Buddy is a really huge dog though - we seldom ever meet another Lab who even comes up to his shoulder! He has a big head & enormous paws! So that maybe why it's a bit confusing. *g*

Buddy ♥ ...

[becs8.livejournal.com]

Ah, that explains it. I'm from Indiana so there are a lot (and I mean a lot) of hunting dogs. They all have the pointy features you were describing. And yes, they do make great family pets. I used to have one myself.

Buddy is adorable btw :o)

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think Labs are fabulous family dogs - it really doesn't matter which kind. Rascal was a working type but he was the silliest, sweetest boy & now we have Bud who would probably run wild in a show ring *g* & is also silly & sweet! ♥

Buddy sends licks & snuggles! ♥