A Virgins Guide to Hash Runs

What is Hash - A simple (but brilliant) YouTube video explaining Hash to a non-Hasher.

Click on the following link to view a short animated YouTube video explaining: Hash House Harriers

Here is another YouTube video from the Santa Barbara H3. The Spiritual Aspects of Hashing.

Fr0m Glasgow Hash - Hashing the Secret Sport.

Finally here is a longer video that details the History of the Hash House Harriers - The Drinking Club with a Running Problem.

The Basic Format

If you have half a mind to join the Hash, that's all it takes, and let me tell you, some of us are way overqualified! If you have Hashed before you will know the format but for the newcomers and those with to few remaing brain cells, here's a quick rundown on what you can expect to happen.

On the designated evening the Hashers will usually gather at a local Pub, a park, in the bush or the home of a Hasher somewhere in the greater Newcastle area. Hopefully you would have been previously notified of the venue by checking out the website, receiving a flyer, email, by word of mouth or desperately phoning someone minutes before. As everyone arrives it is a good time to chat to friends or meet new ones and perhaps even have a steadying ale. The "ON ON" is given by the Grand Master at approximately 6:00 p.m. so it is a good idea to arrive about 20 mins early to change and prepare for the worst.

The Hounds will gather in a pathetic milling group at the front of the venue as the Grand Master welcomes them and has the Hare/s provide you with guidance on the upcumming run. A well set run will keep the pack close together but often this does not occur.  Front runners should be calling "ON , ON" for the benefit of the slower runners and latecomers catching up. Every so often a Check will be held to allow the pack to regroup and the new direction of the trail to be found.

Typical runs are usually 4-6 kilometres long and are designed to last about three quarters to a full hour. However the pack have been known to be barely out of sight before they return or to arive home after a couple of hours on trail and many complaints. However these sort of runs are the exception. As everyone starts arriving back at the On On, revelries will commence with much socialising and testing of beverages. On occaision there might even be some snacks and perhaps even one of AllRounder's legendary "Cheese Balls".

However the main ceremonies will occur during the circle which usually commences around 8 PM. This is where the Hare/s are congratulated/punished for laying such a clean, mud-free and interesting trail - or not. It is also customary for the Religious Advisor to lead a session of community singing before awarding Down Downs for anyone deemed to have sinned, such as the heinous crime of turning up for a run with brand spanking new runners, defying Darwin's theory of natural selection by having yet another birthday, being a competitive bastard, further diluting the gene pool by having offspring and any trumped up charge that can be found etc etc!.

Catering / Hash Mash $$$$

An important part of setting a run is providing food for the runners. Catering typically will have to be provided in the bush, at a park with BBQs, at someones home, or at a pub. To assist with the costs, see the Hash Cash who will give the hare up to $60.00 towards providing the meal. This can be increased by arrangement for special occasions. Remember "you don't feed strawberries to pigs" so the Hash Mash you provide only needs to be tasty and filling. Spaghetti Bolognese, stews, curries, hamburgers, sausages, hot dogs, bring a can etc all bulked out with bread, rice, pasta, salads, prawns, caviar, fillet steak etc can feed everyone and cost should be within the $60 budget. Some Hares don't mind spending a bit of their own cash to provide snacks, dessert, fuit etc but that is a personal choice. 

Setting a Run from a Pub / Hotel

If you set the run from a pub, you should approach the publican weeks before and arrange for him to provide the Hash Mash for the pack after the run. This he should agree to as you will be providing his hotel with a large group of thirsty drinkers who will keep his bar staff busy and his till ticking over. Set a time for the Mash to be ready (usually around 8 PM) and make sure that enough food is provided and don't forget that bread, rice or pasta will bulk things out and cost stuff all to a cheapskate publican. Some have been very generous and served up top notch Mash while others won't be seeing the Hash in a while because of their stingyness.

Setting a Run from the Bush

A real Hasher always appreciates a bush run however this does complicate catering for the Hare. Eskys, BBQs, gas burners etc might be required to get the Mash to site and then cooked up if required. Don't forget Hashers are always willing to help you with preparing the Mash. If you need a portable BBQ, pots, generators, lights or burners just ask the GM and he will find out who has them.

Setting a Run from a Park

Parks can be a good option for a bush or street run as many of them have electric BBQs, shelters and sometime even toilets. It is worth checking beforehand to see if the BBQs work, the toilets are unlocked, if there are lights and even if the gates to the park get locked with all the Hashers inside!

Setting a Run from Home

This is a great option if you don't mind cars parked everywhere and a noisy mob of Hashers jammed into your garage / pergola / lounge room. Catering should be much easier - just cook your normal dinner and multiply by 25 - 40. If you have cranky neighbours it might be worth warning the GM or putting a sold sign out the front of your place.

Hash Terms 

More about Running a Trail

Hashing is an extremely social form of running, some might say the most social form of running is not to run at all, and indeed there are some fine exponents of this art within Hash, they are known as the knitting circle or Bag Minders and pace is certainly not their watchword. Often these experts do not even leave their pre run seats and drinks! But I digress, Hashing was invented in Malaysia in 1938 ago by a rather brilliant chap called Gispert, and spread like a crazy religion or new STD throughout the uncivilised world. The military and diplomatic corps were the primary culprits of this rapid spread. People from all walks of life, drawn together by a passion for the outdoors and for drinking, ran together along a pre-laid trail, which ultimately lead to the welcoming door of a pub, or the very least a venue or esky (chilli bin, cooler) with adequate supplies of thirst quenching beer.

The trail is laid by people called Hares. Now all hares are Hashers but Hashers are not always Hares, though sometimes they might be. Got that? The trail is laid in such a way that those more able, ambitious, fit or just plain stupid people who storm ahead, are waylaid by false trails and check backs. These athletes often find themselves trailing the slower, more ovoid, lazier or just plain sensible people that were bringing up the rear, but now find themselves juxtaposed into the very position of leader they sought to avoid.

The trail can be marked in dots, except when it is marked in crosses, circles, arrows etc which are made from chalk, flour, paper, tape or all manner of other strange materials and hieroglyphs, and those that follow it keep a strict code of conduct, those that stray are punished by down-downs. Down-downs are speedily quaffed drinks and are very much at the heart of hashing, indeed many do not consider it a punishment at all.

Hash Trail Symbols, Markers and other Strange Hieroglyphics

Below are some of the marks that are often used by a Hare when laying a trail. Trail marks if used, are applied using various materials such as blackboard chalk of various types and colours, flour, plaster powder, tape, shredded paper and everybody's favourite, crayon that is the same colour as the trail surface.

To see how serious some Hasher's take their Hashing see Hitler wants to go Hashing.