Hash Runs

While over at Soccerdads blog I posted a comment in passing on joining a hash house group for their fun runs. Now when I bring up hash runs I get two responses from non-runners, disbelief or flat out denial. I assure you that hash runs do exist and by some are considered the closest thing to finding the pot of gold at the bottom of a rainbow.

The world wide organization of Hash House Harriers, here, is a loose organization revolving around running and drinking in a non-competitive way (the running, not the drinking). As a former hash runner (hound) let me describe the joy of the hunt.

When you join a hash group, you generally meet once or twice a month, at random locations around the city the group is located in, each organization has it owns rules. The finish line is then stated, either a bar or as you get more bawldy and adult some patch of grass unseen by normal people in the wood for example. Generally speaking the hares are fast runners who start about ten minutes before everyone else and they are fast. They carry bags of powdered chalk or colored powder and at (hopefully) regular intervals drop little piles of it to mark their path.

The goal is simple-catch the hare or reach the finish line before the last guy. Oh but the hares are tricky, they plant false trails. Remember they are fast and will play a false trail out a half mile or more and then you have to run back and around and try to figure it out. Silly rabbits. At the end of the runs which vary from 3-10 miles., is the traditional kegger or beerfest, with glorious toasting to virgin runners, or people wearing the best outfit or no outfit, whatever reason there is to toast.

Hash Groups range from family to XXX. Most are PG-13, meaning the party's over when you leave and the songs are repeatable to....say you, without me blushing.

My hash run experience was overseas and in double canopy jungle (though some in cites) . We ran over downed trees, through rivers and streams, underneath brush. It was R rated mostly which meant unrepeatable nicknames and songs that made me blush. There was some nudity, sometimes for show, mostly from clothes being ripped to shreds in the jungle but then a lot of clothes were deemed unfit for party wear at the kegger and were removed post run.

The last hound to make the kegger had to strip nude, climb a palm tree and retrieve a coconut.