So, I just started going to playgroup on Thursdays and I overheard one of the other moms describe herself as an avid "hasher". Afraid to ask for a definition and wondering if I should be hanging out with them, I did some research and actually am seriously interested in become a hasher myself.
Hash House Harriers:
This club is based on a centuries-old tradition called Hound and Harrier. The idea centers around a bunch of people chasing after another person. Don’t worry about looking bad in front of experienced runners, though. The Hash House Harriers proudly calls itself “A drinking club with a running problem.”Here’s the premise: Races begin with groups as small as just four or as large as 30 or 40. Runners meet up and drink a beer or two (depending on tolerance and the amount of fun desired). After the group socializes for a bit, one person takes off running, marking his or her course with chalk circles on the ground or on trees that the other runners will follow. This person is called the hare. After the hare has a sufficient head start—about 15 to 20 minutes—the rest of the group takes off in search of the markings.The allure of these runs is two-fold.The first perk is that the courses tend to run awry from traditional race courses.Bennett says she has run races through tunnels, parks and up rock embankments. She says some are straightforward, but others can challenge your commitment.The hare can also create fake trails, putting marks down one path and then doubling back to mark a different path to fool runners. She says Hashing is more about enjoying the thrill of the race rather than setting personal records.Races tend to run about three to four miles, but don’t worry if you can’t run that far without stopping, because the second allure to Hash races is the pit stop. All Hash races have at least one beer stop in the middle of the race.Some people balk at the idea of drinking and running, and experienced Hash runners understand the reservations of newcomers.Bennett encourages people to try hashing, even if they are nervous about it. The drinking can help ease newcomers into the situation, and also provides plenty of fodder for laughs.“You don’t have to be hardcore. It’s a way to mix up running and working out,” Bennett says.Races consist of both the uber-athletic and your average drinking enthusiast with a beer gut. The athletic types don’t always finish first. Keep in mind, some Hash clubs insist that the first person to finish the race drink for his or her accomplishment. Most runs involve walking to search for the trail and short breaks. Don’t worry if you’re not a fast runner. No awards are handed out, and races generally consist of packs of people helping each other find and stay on the course.Hash clubs exist all over the world. There is one in the Kansas City area, and a club recently formed in Lawrence. Check the Hash House Harriers’ global Web site, www.gthhh.com, for a more complete view of the experience, as well as listings of all 1,862 clubs around the world.
I think it sounds like fun, not necessaryily into the drinking aspect, but the clues and chase of it sound motivating and fun, good to way to get out and enjoy exercising, as I am slowly trying to convince myself I need to get into running. I have the weight lighting with the trainer covered, just need to get into more cardio! Hope you enjoyed reading your random knowledge quota for the day! Let me know if you have ever done this, I am intrigued!
