You need to be in top shape to participate in Hash runs

in #sportstalk3 years ago

In case it isn't obvious the title of this post is meant totally in jest. Although there are rare exceptions the level of physical fitness possessed by your average Hasher is definitely NOT world-class or probably even medically sound.

The average age of our kennels are well over 50 I'm sure, and some of our crew actually have to use walking sticks to get around. We also tend to drink quite a lot and I dunno if your doctor ever told you, but they say you aren't supposed to do that.

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Here's just a random photo of some of our members and while about half of these guys could probably run a 3k race without stopping they definitely wouldn't win. The fastest two people in this pic also are not the youngest ones. The 2nd and 3rd people from the right are by far some of our fastest runners. The guys on both ends are some of our younger members but barely ever run at all and this is just fine.

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There is normally a massive fluctuation of fitness levels at our get-togethers and beauty of this is that it isn't a race... well, not officially but it is up to you if you want to make it one. You aren't really even required to finish it and you can feel free to turn back on the trail and head back to "camp" any time that you want to. Some of our members are mobility limited and they just walk for a bit until the trail gets too hard and then they turn back. Some of our members are a bit lazy and that is fine as well.

The only stipulation about turning back and not completing the course is that if you start drinking beer back at camp you have to pay for it until the pack comes back. This is only because we have had a few issues in the past with people turning up and not participating in the runs at all and just sitting and drinking free beer for an hour. We don't have "rules" but this was just bad behavior and had to be rectified.

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I've been to Hash chapters or kennels at many places around the world and the mix always tends to be the same. The crowd tends to be older (because young people with careers and shit don't normally get drunk at 5pm on a Monday) and there is always a mix of spry folks and bigger people that just walk the trails and use it as a social outlet.

At the end of the day, no matter what level of activity you decide to put yourself through you are going to get a lot more exercise than you would if you just sat at home or even worse if you just went out to the bars - which is what we normally do on non run days anyway. I would imagine that if we didn't have the hash that most of our members would probably be in terrible shape and therefore terrible health.

Life is all about balance anyway right?

The little bit of exercise combined with the social aspects of the Hash lead all of us to be a lot more healthy than I believe we otherwise would be and that is what it is all about.

We are the Hash House Harriers, we are the "drinkers with a running problem" and we are global. There is almost certainly a chapter or kennel nearby you and I once again encourage all of you out there in internet-land to find one and take advantage of this wonderful group of people. No seriously... take advantage of them... they love it.

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