Hashing: What's it all about?

If you like a regular social gathering with a couple of drinks and a bit of sweat,  the Hash might be something for you. The idea of hashing was born around 1938 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaya, as a club for drinkers with a running problem. They called themselves  the Hash House Harriers (HHH), named after the building were they started from. You can find more details about the origins in our History section.

Nowadays an estimated 2000 chapters, spanning all 7 continents uphold this tradition on a regular base.
The Hash is a very social and international, recreational cross-country running for fun activity. Every Hash chapter has its own interpretation of this idea, but generally, the pack (the runners) try to follow a trail, laid by one or two club members (the Hares or Does). By putting false trails, the Hares make sure that quick runners arrive more or less at the same time at the finish as the crawlers/walkers/joggers. There are no winners and upon completion, everybody is rewarded with a couple of drinks in the 'circle' where the emphasis is on fun and spontaneity.

In Hanoi, two hash chapters are active: The Harriers and the Harriettes. There is no membership, when you show up for a run, you're in. The trail consists of dots of flour, leading through paddies, an occasional hill,  hidden alleys, smelly neighborhoods and picturesque quarters.  It's fun!

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this page was last modified on 8/29/2010 8:05:52 PM