Hey stranger, it's been a while! I've been a busy bee so far in 2012. So much to do, so little time. But there is one thing I wanted to tell you about...
A few months back, whilst researching for new ventures to try my hand at, a friend sent me a link on Facebook for a hashing club. Yes, that's right, hashing. I was appalled I tell you, ap-paaaaalled...until I looked it up and realised what it actually is - cross country running (not the other thing, lets just forget about that). This particular club however describe themselves as a "drinking club with a running problem", hmm how intriguing. I dropped the 'Grand Master' an e-mail to introduce myself. He politely responded offering an invite to their next run and signed off as Massive (o...k...). Shortly after a text came through offering me a lift to the start point which, typically being a drinking club, is a pub. She signed off as Wet Wipe (should I ask?....maybe not).
I met WW on a sunny, dry (thanksbetojesus) Sunday morning, having had an early & booze free Saturday night. As we drove to Belluton, in Somerset, she filled me in on the hashing nitty gritty. The club run on a weekly basis through the countryside, usually for about 4 - 6 miles. They follow a trail, comprising of blobs of flour, left by team members called 'hares' who plot the route earlier that morning. Every half mile or so there are 'checks', which are circles of flour left on the ground, and these signal a change in direction. Runners (oh yeah, here's the best bit - you don't even have to run, you can choose to walk!) can either go off and find the next blob of flour dictating new direction or take a rest and wait for someone to call "On On" which means they've found it for you!
I was a bit nervous of the prospect of getting lost in the middle of a field, under the illusion that the club members would be off like a shot, so I began running to keep up. Turns out most of them had been out drinking the night before and were doing this as a hangover cure....have any of these people heard of Alka Seltzer?? Despite their throbbing heads they were pretty fit, even the ones I was eyeing up for a date with my Nana... I had huge respect for them, one glass of wine on Saturday evening and I'd have wimped out but after a mile or so I got their thinking, what better way to clear a bleary head than the beautiful English countryside, fresh air and sunshine? Of course, there's that aforementioned pub to look forward to and that rewarding pint of ale awaiting them. They do this in all weathers too, I'm not sure whether it's a dedication to running or to drinking but they're pretty committed!
The run looped through a cute little village of stone buildings, bridges over streams, mucky fields & woodland and circled back to the pub, with it's door open and it's beer pumps at the ready, welcoming us back like prodigal sons. Marvelling at my honey coloured beer and my mucky running shoes I smugly grinned to myself knowing that most of my friends are probably now reaching for the remote control because the Eastenders Omnibus is just too darn complicated for their delicate hungover states (remember, I admitted to being smug).
Following a beer and a chat we were led outside to the beer garden by the 'Masters' for the 'Downdowns'. These are the forfeit ceremonies that take place after each run. Several members of the club are given a half pint to down as a penalty for crimes committed on the morning's hash - one man got punished simply for having a pink hanky on his person! And speaking of forfeits and punishments, the peculiar names the club members introduced themselves with were nicknames given to them by their fellow members, inspired by an observation from their early hash runs - Wet Wipe simply because she cleaned her hands with wet wipes after a mucky run, I didn't ask Massive where his came from... If you do take part in a hashing club be careful of what you do or say, it may haunt you for the rest of your hash career!
...but enough about me, how are you?
Image: Sinéad Millea
