The one in Alex has just started and there are less than ten members currently. We meet at the Portuguese Club (the local expat club) every Friday afternoon and then take a van out to the trail. The Hare lays a trail the day before with balled up scraps of paper. Here in Alex the trail is sometimes here in town and sometimes out in the farm lands. The Hare will often leave false trails, short cuts, dead ends, and splits. These features are designed to keep the “pack” together regardless of fitness level or running speed, as the Hounds in the front are forced to slow down to find the trail, allowing for the others to catch up. There are also check points where everyone has to stop and re-group (and sometimes chug a beer). Like I said earlier, it’s a non-competitive social running group that has a long tradition of drinking…drinking before, during and definitely after a run.
The Hash House Harriers have many long standing traditions and every club usually has a few of their own. Failures to follow traditions or rules are punishable by down-downs during the circle at the end of the run and since there are so many silly rules and traditions to remember it is almost certain that you will be given a down-down by the Grand Master. Down-down means chugging a warm beer until the group finishes singing a song. The more heinous the offence, the longer the song will be.
One of the most famous Hash traditions is Hash names. Everyone gets a name, which are usually pretty vulgar and obscene. Failure to use someone’s Hash name will result in a down-down during circle. I haven’t received my Hash name yet, you usually have to attend several Hash Races before you are awarded a name.
I’ll write more about my first Hash Race in another blog. If you want to check out the Alexandria Hash website (still a work in progress), click on the hyperlink.
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