What Is Hashing

A hash is a run with beer at the beginning, middle, and end. The hash is not a race! It is all about having fun.

The hash is a kind of "hare and hounds" game. One or two people are the hares, and they lay a trail of flour, chalk, and toilet paper for the rest of us to follow. Ten to fifteen minutes after the hares run off, the rest of the pack (hounds) follows. There are dead ends and false trails to confuse and slow down the pack. Somewhere on trail there is a beer stop, with water and beer before continuing trail. In the end, we all wind up together at the On-In where we circle up, sing songs, drink and have a good time.

Where is this hash?
The hash starts in a different place every time in the St. Louis Metro area. The hares decide the starting location and on-after.

Do I have to run?
No. We walk, take shortcuts, and use whatever means necessary to get to the beer. Generally, Big Hump trails are 2 - 5 miles. The runners go a lot farther than the walkers because they find all the dead ends and false trails.

Do I have to drink beer?
No. If you don't drink, we respect that. Or if you don't like beer, bring along the beverage of your choice. There is always water available.

How much does it cost?
A $7.00 contribution is requested for each run. Your second hash with the Big Hump is on us.

Want more information? Visit half-mind.com -- because if you've got half a mind to come to the hash, that's all you need!

The following was borrowed from KCH3 who stole it from PRH3 who in all likelyhood borrowed from someone else....

Sounds almost illegal, doesn't it? But really, it may be the perfect combination of exercise, social interaction and, well, beer.  We are runners, but without a great emphasis on speed.  Hence the slogan "Drinkers with a running problem".  (Maybe it should be "Drinkers with a bi-pedal locomotion problem", as several members walk rather than run.) Let me explain...

The Original Hash House Harriers...

In 1938, A.S. Gispert, an accountant working at a Malaysian rubber plantation organized a group of his friends for runs to work off the rigors of the weekend. They met at the Sanegal Hash House (hash house being a British term for a diner), and there, played the poor man's version of the fox hunt, the "Paper chase." This involved giving one runner a few minutes head start, then following the trail of discarded paper left by the fleeing man. "G" (er, Gispert), added a twist; at various points in the trail, an intersection was set. Trail could head off in any direction, but only one direction was 'true'. Faster runners were slowed as they solved the trail, allowing slower runners (or walkers) to catch up. The Hash House Harriers were born.

Is it for me?

Distance and Territory

The trail can be one of the most exciting parts of a hash run. Rather than running laps around a local track, be prepared to run through fields, woods or jungle, ford streams and jump fences. You may even run into some briars, so be protected!! Your time on trail might be 45 minutes to an hour and a half. But relax, this doesn't mean flat out sprinting, (you might often be waiting at an 'intersection' for others to find a way), and there is always a refreshing 'beer check' halfway through the trail. Each week the hashes start and end in different places. No boring tracks here.

Sex

Yes, please. Oops ... er ... Hashing is generally for both males and females, but because we sometimes end the runs in taverns, Hashing is sometimes restricted to adults (21 and over) depending on the Hash.  The hash is a fun group, but far from politically correct. We have drinking songs, mostly stolen from the rugby teams, which would make many respectable people blush. A good sense of humor is the hash's only real requirement.

The Down-Down:

After finishing the trail, the Down-Down commences. The Down-Down is both the celebration at the end of the trail, and the award handed out to hashers guilty of some mis-deeds. A Down-Down is a cup of drink, be it beer, soda or water, awarded by the  Hash Master or Religious Advisor for trail infractions, anniversaries, or any other reason. A drinking song accompanies each, it is all great fun.

How do I Join?

Show up.  A nominal fee is requested per person to help with the cost of the refreshments.  If you attend the On-After (dinner party after the run), you are expected to pay for your own food and beverage.  There is no annual fee or commitment. Show up as seldom, or often, as you like. Keeping in mind that missing hashes (known as  "back sliding") is cause for a down-down...

One final note...

This hash requests that you be at least 21 years old to participate or let your parent who accompanies you make the final decision on your attendance if your are under 21.