There are, unbeknownst to most Harriers, a few uninformed
who have absolutely no clue as to what to do when
hashing or haring. If you fall in to this deeply undesirable
category then you should study this section until
you know it in your sleep.
The Objective of a Hash:
The Hash, contrary to popular belief
is not a race, although it can provide an occasional
stretch for the more athletic Harrier. It is mainly
an opportunity for a mixed crowd of sweaty humans
to exercise a little, relax mentally, see the beautiful
countryside of Sri Lanka and enjoy Hash Fellowship.
The Hash motto is ‘We run for fun and drink
for our health.’
A typical trail lasts usually around
one hour and can be an undulating circle marked with
shredded paper, winding it’s way through paddies,
villages, roads, rubber estates, coconut plantations
and even streams. The average length of a run can
vary from 8 to 12 kilometers, depending on terrain.
This means that the front-runners will finish within
an hour and the rest of the pack will come about ten
to fifteen minutes after. The slow runners should
be able to reach the site within 120 minutes.
Haring:
A Hare is the one who sets the run.
An experienced Hare will lay the run alone, while
others may join with another or maybe even two Hares.
The Hares are responsible for determining the run
site, providing directions, getting shredded paper
(Hash Paper) and setting the trail. They are also
responsible for hash Food and the final beer and soft
drinks count at the end of the evening. Another duty
of the Hares is to sing a song when called upon by
the RA.
Experienced Hares should help newcomer
lay a run until they get comfortable with the layout
and countryside.
The Run Site:
Usually the start and end of a trail.
It can be a parking lot, unused field or quarry or
other such location large enough to park 30 or so
vehicles and form a circle after the run. Avoid locations
too near populated areas or religious sites. It absolutely
be a place where Hashers can be as noisy as they want
without disturbing others or be disturbed by others.
Normally the run site is about 30-45 minutes drive
from the city. The Hares must provide run directions
to the site the previous week.
Hash Directions:
The directions usually start with
zeroing your trip meter at one of the widely known
landmarks (eg. Castle Street Railway Crossing). Directions
should be given in Km and Miles (for those stuck in
the past). Make sure of the actual meter readings
and give clear instructions so that even the other
Hash Idiots can get there. Do not say “Turn
left after dead dog on right side of the road”
Example:
Km Miles Description
0.0 0.0 Castle Street Railway
Crossing
3.4 2.0 Right at parliament
Roundabout
5.2 3.2 Right at white bridge
5.9 3.7 Right at T-junction
6.2 3.8 Turn right on gravel
road and park
Directions have to be brought to
the circle one week before the run and distributed
amongst the Hashers. Directions should also be emailed
to all the Hashers so that anyone who missed the previous
week’s run still get directions. In any case
run direction will be on the hash website for those
who need to check it. Failure to send out directions
in a timely manner will have dire consequences.
The Trail:
The path marked with Hash Paper is
known as the Trail. Starting from the run site, the
trail winds it’s way across all kinds of terrain
including rice paddies, rubber plantations, dirt tracks,
etc for around 8-12 kilometers and ends back at the
start site. The trail should be set to include false
trails, shortcuts, checks and loops to keep the pack
together and make it generally more interesting. The
Front Runners should be back at the site in about
an hour with the rest following in after about 10-15
minutes. Any longer and you risk getting iced. It’s
recommended that the trail be set earlier in the afternoon
unless you are doing a live hare. If the trail is
set too early, it might disappear due to rain, wind,
traffic, herds of buffalo or kids screwing around.
The outgoing trail should not be
too near the incoming trail as otherwise the Hashers
might get more confused than they already are. As
a rule, try to avoid laying the trail through peoples
homes unless they have no objections. Same goes for
places of worship such as temples. Avoid going through
newly planted fields or freshly constructed dams of
paddy fields or thou shalt run the risk of being run
through by irate farmers.
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