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Shekou Hash House Harriers

A Drinking Club With A Running Problem !

A Hare's Guide to Haring
Haring... The Essentials
Having hashed with the Shekou hash a few times, you have undoubtedly gotten so drunk that you had agreed to whatever the Hare Razor had asked just to get them to shut the hell up. Now you are here for our assistance...

Well, we're glad you asked, because we're from Mismanagement and we're here to help. Hashing has VERY few rules, but haring has lots of them. If you decide to hare a run, you are taking on the responsibility for the group's fun as a whole. If you follow most of the guidance contained here, you should be able to hare a successful run. Of course, if it doesn't turn out that way, the authors of this guidance will disavow ever having provided you the slightest encouragement.

Safety & Fun

The Shekou kennel of the Hash House Harriers is a family hash. We have small children attending and our most senior hasher to date was a man of 75  80. Our hashes must therefore cater for all ages, sizes, and sexes. They must be interesting enough for those who run the trail and also for those who walk it. A hash is not an SAS survival course, but should be sufficiently challenging for the fitter individuals who want to run the course.

The Hares
Ideally 2 hares should be involved in setting the hash – there can be a fair amount of effort involved and it is much easier to have some help. One hare is usually the lead hare who is normally more experienced and should already have set a number of trails previously. Ideally the other hare may not have set a hash before (virgin hare) but is learning the art so they will be able to be the lead hare on future hashes (there is always a need to introduce new hares into the warren). The Hare Razor will normally organize the schedule and decides who is setting the hash on each particular date.
Timing
A good hash requires planning and preparation. Hares who set good hashes normally plan the hash at least a month before the actual hash date. It is unwise to leave the planning until the weekend before, as if there is any sort of problem with the hash (such as construction / quality of trail) there is too little time to make adequate alternative plans. The first recce would normally take place a good month before the hash date, unless the hare is already very familiar with the terrain.
Trail Selection
The Shenzhen area offers an almost limitless variety of trail (urbanized mountain trails, back woods goat tracks, soggy wet jungle and don't forget that everyone loves stairs...) the choice of where to set the hash is really the most important decision the hare will make. The hare should consult with the Hare Razor and inform well ahead of time the intended location of the hash in case there may be a clash/ other factor involved affecting the potential location. Factors to be considered when selecting an area are:
  • Trail Potential
    ​Is there a good circular route of about an hours duration (at walking pace, not running!) that would serve as a trail? When considering an area if the answer to this question is a probable “yes” then this is good enough up until the recce stage – see below.
  • Walkers and Runners Trails
    With the numbers of hashers and the substantial difference between the fittest and slowest individuals every hash should have both a walkers and a runners trail. It is not appropriate to have the slowest hasher struggle through the dark to complete a hash in 3 hours which a runner will complete in 45 minutes! Hares must cater for both abilities and set trails accordingly. The hash is meant to be enjoyable and for a lot of people this does not mean an endurance test. The fastest runner should do the trail in around 45 minutes, and the slowest hasher about 90 minutes. It requires a lot of extra effort to set two trails but is very worthwhile. Runners trails can be made much more challenging too - steep slopes, extra distance, river walking etc. Runners trails are usually an extension of the walkers trail and branch off at some point before re-joining later.
  • Terrain
    Consider the terrain and if it will be suitable for all hashers. It’s no good planning a hash up & down every hill in view – half the hashers won’t make it and you will end up having to find them and help them to the finish. Also avoid sending hashers over precipices and the like. A hash should not end up as an assault course of climbing over dead trees 2-3 meters from the ground. If your chosen area does not appear suitable for all hashers for any of these reasons and the obstacle cannot be avoided – choose again!
  • Start and Finish Points
    Also known as the "A" and "B" points.
    A Point - It is important to arrange the hash to start from a location where the buses can get to, complete the Chalk-Talk and then depart. This does not mean that a hash can't ever start from the side of a road, but for safety, ensure that the hashers are not getting out on the side of a main road.
  • B Point - The endpoint should be located in a place preferably away from traffic noise, so that the Grand Master or Religious Advisor doesn’t have to shout his/her head off to be heard. Most of them shout their heads off anyway.  It also has to be a location where we can have a circle, sing & drink beer without attracting undue attention from police, or annoying too many people.  If we’re going inside a restaurant, make sure they have space for us, and understand they’re getting a noisy group.
  • Previous Hashes in Area
    Variety is important for hashing. Too many hashes in the same area/ on familiar ground makes the hash very stale and uninteresting. Shenzhen is a big enough area that this can easily be avoided. Try to choose an area that has not been hashed in for a while and which is interesting (old estates/ waterfalls/ views/ beaches etc...)
  • Moonlight Hashes (The Unspeakable Hash)
    Moonlit hashes are best when the date of full moon is 1 or 2 days after the day of the hash since this times moonrise at about dusk rather than at 8 pm on the actual full moon night. The hash should not start before moon rise – or it could be dark before the moon is lighting any part of the trail. The best option is where moonrise occurs before it gets dark so the hash can start in daylight and finish after dark. Moonlit hashes should be set (mainly) on larger trails without too much tree cover i.e. not in the middle of the rain forest.
Getting Familiar With The Trail
This is generally called "Recce-ing" a trail - doing a reconnaissance of the trail before the hash. It is essential and needs to be done well ahead of time – see point on timing above. Don’t leave yourself too little time to set the hash – it’s meant to be (and really is) a fun thing to do not a stressful last minute nightmare. Depending on the area you will need to do 1 or more recce trips prior to the hash. Some tips:
  • Length of the trail
    ​    It can be hard to estimate how long the hash will be when you are investigating the trail. Roughly it might take the same time as you do to go round for the first time but this will very much depend on the terrain, the time spent investigating other routes or false trails, time spent clearing trails (sometimes necessary to clear a route through bush) etc. As a rough guide if it takes you more than 2 hours to get round what you think might be a good trail then it’s too long! If in doubt do it again at a reasonable pace (steady walk) – at most it should not take more than an hour and 15 minutes. Remember the hash usually starts at 2:30 p.m. (China Standard Time) and in the winter months it is dark by 6 p.m. This does not give you much of a window if you set a long hash and believe me you do not want problems! A runners trail could take up to two hours to walk round – making it too long is less of a worry here provided you have a good walkers trail set.
  • Safety
    ​    If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it! Any doubts over length, terrain, difficult sections (which dramatically slow hashers down) – change it! Hazards (like slippery paths on narrow ledges) must be avoided or specifically pointed out and a detour route provided for hashers who elect not to tackle them. There is nothing wrong with steep hill climbs or descents - it is dangerous climbs and descents that are unacceptable. Safety is paramount in setting a hash. When in doubt, choose an alternative route. We have enjoyed over thirty years of (almost) injury-free hashing. Let’s keep it that way.
Setting The Trail
Preparation and planning are the most important factors here. By the previous weekend before the hash date you should have:
  • Obtain the Marking Materials
    Chalk, Flour or Shredded Paper all make good trail marks, but care should be taken to select for the type of trail. Depending on the length of the trail, you will need around 2 – 3 large bags, too much is no problem as anything not used can be passed to the next hares. On the other hand running out of trail markings is a nightmare!
  • Preparation
    Carrying the paper around to set the trail can be hard work – it’s bulky and not very light. Dividing the paper into smaller bags makes it easier to carry. Plastic bags rip very easily so double lining them is good. Alternatively the local “market bags” can work very well and they have a shoulder strap too.
  • Timing
    On the day of setting the trail get to the hash site early! i.e. by around 8 or 9 in the morning. It can take a surprisingly long time to set a hash and there may be unforeseen problems. 
  • Laying the Trail
    Blobs should be big enough to be visible – this will depend on what surface the hash marks is being laid on i.e. concrete/ mud/ grass/ thick bush / trees. If it’s windy try to lay the markings where it won’t get blown away. Rain can also wash the markings away very quickly – so if it’s raining or likely to before the hash starts make sure the markings are put in a place where it won’t get washed away. The most important thing to remember is to put enough blobs down so hashers don’t get lost. A rule of thumb is that the next blob should be visible from the one before. If the trail is following a road/ well defined path they can be spread further; if crossing rough ground with no defined path then the blobs must be much closer together. You can’t really put too many blobs down – so if you’re not sure put more marks! Remember to lay blobs regularly – it’s easy to forget and then you’ve moved 100 meters and there’s no blobs laid. If the trail makes turns or alterations of course then more blobs will be needed to indicate the route. When turning off a road or larger trail onto a smaller it is a good idea to lay a continuous line of marking indicating the turn off.
  • Beer Stop / Trail Drinks
    Drinks for the Beer Stop are provided by the Hash. (Contact the Beer Meister or other Mismanagement to arrange)
    During Special Events other refreshments can be provided, but costs for these should be discussed / approved prior to the Hash.
  • False Trails
    False trails are a lot of fun to set and aim to try to keep the hash group more bunched together. There are no hard and fast rules to setting false trails but here are some guidelines:
  • Always try to have at least a couple of false trails on your hash to add to the interest.
  • False trails begin from “checks”. These are designated by a circle of chalk / flour or paper laid at the point where the false trail starts
  • From the check (circle of chalk/flour/paper) there will be one correct route and one or more false trails. Having more than one false trail will slow the hashers down even more.
  • At the end of the false trail you put a large cross so that hashers know it’s the wrong route and have to turn back. Make it obvious. There is no hard and fast rule about how many blobs have to be put down before the cross – some hashers demand to know this at the start of every hash but there’s no law that you have to tell them or stick to a standard length of false trail, that’s entirely up to you. If you’re feeling particularly malicious then go ahead and set a false trail for half a kilometer up the steepest hill you can find (these are fun points to add the dreaded YBF Marking). Be warned it may not improve the attitude of hashers towards you at the end of the hash.
  • Runners and Walkers Trails 
    These     need to be clearly marked so that the hashers are able to identify the trail they want to do when the routes diverge. The trails can be marked in a variety of ways – with a large W or R and arrows using shredded paper on the ground, making signs to put up on a tree etc. The best way to have the trails marked is to have one of the hares at the junction indicating the trails to follow.
  • Directions and Suggestions
    Give instructions to the Hare Razor as to the location of the "A" point (Starting Point). This could be in the form of a GPS map location shared via WeChat, or as simple as exit# XXX on the so and so expressway. Just remember that the less chance the buses have of getting lost, the better.
    Suggestions should also be provided to the Hare Razor for notifying the pack regarding the trail conditions if any issues... i.e. wear long pants to protect against razor grass, bring lots of water... etc.
Live Runs (Live Haring)
If you are a very fast runner, or you fail to set the run on time, you have the option of setting a “live run”. In this case you are given 5 or 10 minutes head start and you set the trail as you try to outrun the pack to the finish. If the pack catches you, you can expect one or several down-downs. Needless to say, you will have little or no time to set false trails and if the pack spots you in the distance they can ignore the trail you just set and head straight for you.
The Hash
It’s finally the time to see all the hard work come together and send the hashers out on trail. Unfortunately the hare’s work is not over yet, in fact this one of the most important jobs – to make sure that every hare who sets out on the trail actually comes back again! The single most important duty at this stage is to make sure there is a sweeper on each trail, both runners and walkers to follow the last hasher and ensure their safe return. The sweeper must not leave or lose the last hasher! The sweeper can be one of the hares or a trusted hasher. Keeping in contact with the sweeper by cell phone is a very good idea. Some other ideas:
  • Chalk Talk
    At the start of the hash you will be required to say a few words, explain the principle of hashing to the virgins and say a few words about today’s hash. Describe very briefly any relevant details of the hash – if there are false trails, where the runners trail splits from the walkers, technical difficulty of either trail, scenery and points of interest... etc.
  • And They Are Off
    Due to background noise (dogs/ cars etc) and hashers not paying attention there is a guarantee that at least 90% of the hashers present will not hear (or listen to) the above announcement! This makes it even more important that the walkers and runners trail are clearly marked and hashers will not make mistakes. You will create a potentially big problem for yourself if hashers get the instructions wrong, there are insufficient signs and the slowest of all hashers end up tackling a very long and technical runners trail. If possible, it is     very strongly recommended that one of the hares should be in position at the start of the runners trail – in this way hashers can be assessed as to their ability to complete the runners trail and gently directed to the walkers trail if there is any doubt. There must also be a cut off time beyond which no one should be allowed onto the runners trail as clearly they will not complete the trail before dark.
  • You're Not Done Yet
    Be prepared to head back out on trail to find any errant hashers that may need guidance back home.
  • Finally...
    ​Once the last hasher is back and safe it’s time to relax and enjoy the feeling of a hash well set.

ON-ON !

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