Rob and I hashed in Vietnam a few times and loved it, so this past Saturday we checked out the Denver branch. I may have to chug a beer in down-down for writing this post, but I think you need to know why the Denver Hash House Harriers are exactly my kind of people.
1. Their slogan. “A drinking club with a running problem”. I love the play on words and it describes what they do pretty perfectly.
2. They explore trails. One runner, a “hare” sets the running course ahead of time with flour markers. Runs take place in a number of different places throughout Denver and the set path is never the same.
3. They make it a game. The set trail is not straight and not something you can guess the direction of. At fairly often intervals a check point requires runners to figure out the next turn of the set route in one of three possible directions.
4. They bushwhack. The route is not guaranteed to only be on trail. Sometimes you’re running through water, 7-foot reeds, or some other seemingly impassable terrain. It’s fun, difficult, and often times muddy.
5. They have a dirty sense of humor, while still being upstanding, law-abiding, kind people. Within minutes of meeting one of the Denver hashers, Rob and I were invited to spend a weekend at his house in Taos, New Mexico. This is the same hasher who later on sung a dirty innuendoed song to a group of June birthday participants.
6. They drink beer. Before the run, at a checkpoint during the run, and most definitely after the run.
RQ: Have you ever hashed? Does this sound like the kind of group you’d enjoy?
I’m Brooke Selb, a Personal Trainer and Health Coach specializing in helping busy moms and moms to be to easily juggle mom life with family friendly recipes, and easy exercise routines to help you achieve your fitness goals that fit in with your already busy life with sound nutritional advice.
Yes! I need a group like this. Do they take beginners?
Yes! All fitness levels are welcome. You don’t have to run, many people walked or walked/ran combo-ed. You also don’t have to drink. A few people just had water.
What a fun way to meet some wacky people and explore the area at the same time you are working out!! The Hashers have it all!!!
Yes they do!
Hmmm. Is it weird that I’ve never even heard of “hashing”? I’m pretty sheltered. This looks like a ton of fun, though!
It’s been kind of underground for a while. You should check one out sometime.
This sounds awesome. I just found one in my area, now if only I had some friends that drank to go with me for the first time! Gonna need to muster up some courage with that crowd.
You should definitely go! You don’t have to drink, but it’s fun to laugh along with everyone else.
WOW, I’ve never heard of this but it sounds kind of awesome!
I’m not a beer drinker (I know, what’s wrong with me) but I like the game part. It sounds like a blast!
You should try it! You don’t have to drink if you don’t want to. A bunch of people were just drinking water the whole time. There is no pressure.
I hashed in China with a bunch of hard-core Aussies. But, my god, we had beer check points at least 4 times during the run. So after a couple runs with them, I decided I may be better off running on my own (I was training for a marathon there, after all….). Glad you had fun!
That’s the trouble we had in Vietnam. They didn’t drink during the run, but the bus ride home (they had to bus out and back about an hour into the countryside) was insane!
This sounds awesome — can I come with next time!?
Yes! The next one is July 12. It’s a Luau!
I would enjoy the drinking but after my one trail run, I think I could pass on the running and bush whacking!!!
The good thing about hashing is that it’s not a competitive environment, so the bushwhacking is a ton of fun.
I don’t even know what hashing is…..Google here I come! 🙂
It’s so fun! You should give it a try!