The Hash House Harriers

Oh, the places this post could go... I'll try to keep it clean and to the point for now. 

When I moved from IA to AZ, I was in need of some new friends and a new running community. I turned to the Google machine and researched Phoenix running groups. I was pleasantly surprised by how many results there were. I made note of three groups with upcoming runs. I attempted to meet the first group one evening but couldn't find the expected start location. The next attempt was to join the Lost Boobs Hash. Meetup.com led me to believe I would be meeting 7 other people for a social outing that included some drinks before the run, a run, and drinks after the run. You had me at hello! Thanks to the Google Maps machine, I found the start location at a brewery. I walked in to the brewery to see around 60 people, not 7. Everyone was having a great time. Some people in running clothes, some people in costumes, and some in causal attire. I had no idea what I walked into but I was ready to be a part of it from the start! I came to love the hashing community on day 1. 

The Hash House Harriers is an international drinking club with a running problem. The objectives of the hash: To promote physical fitness among our members, To get rid of weekend hangovers, To acquire a good thirst and to satisfy it in beer, To persuade the older members that they're not as old as they feel. The hash was started in what is now Malaysia in 1938 by a group of British colonial officers. When the group would meet, one runner would lead the group in a Hares and Hounds style trail. 

Over the years, the hash spread around the world and has taken on many different traits from city to city. I'm lucky to have landed in Phoenix where there is a large hashing community and a heavy interest in travel hashing. It's great to cram 6 hashers in a car, drive 6 hours and invade another hash for a day or a weekend. This group is incredibly inclusive. I know hashers that have only ever walked each trail, and I know hashers that run ultra marathons. Some people get hammered drunk at every hash, and some don't drink at all. For the most part, the group is very debaucherous. We sing a lot of offensive songs, drink beer, run, give each other dirty nicknames, occasionally hash naked at midnight, etc. 

A few years ago, while Leah was on summer break, she took a road trip across the U.S. with her friend Adelina and hashed all along the way. Hashers are great for showing you the local nightlife, grub, and giving up couch space. If i'm not mistaken, Leah and Adelina didn't pay for lodging during the entire trip. This is pretty typical of most times we travel hash. Somebody is always willing to give up a bed, couch, or floor space. 

In the summer of 2017 a group of us went to Euro Hash which was being held in Vienna, Austria. It was an amazing 3 or 4 day event where we met hashers from all over the world, sang new songs, learned other hash traditions, and drank a lot of beer, obviously. Around this time, Leah and I knew how we wanted to start our year-long trip. Hashing. Timing worked out well because September 2018 marks the 80th anniversary of Mother Hash, the original hash kennel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We bought our registration for the event more than a year in advance to solidify our decision to travel. We'll be starting our journey with the Mother Hash anniversary, and be close to ending it with another appearance at Euro Hash 2019 on a cruise from Scotland. I know, it sounds awful. 

I urge you to find a local hash if you haven't already. Show up once and see if it's for you. Just use the Google machine or The Facebooks and search for your city and Hash House Harriers. There's so much more to the group and to running trails than I explained. 

On-On! 

NairBare (Tyler) and Hot Pocket (Leah)

TYLER IRVING