Booze Hounds On On!: Thomas Moore, Hash House Harriers GM

The self-proclaimed “drinking group with a running problem,” the Hash House Harriers (or HHH) experiment with a less conventional approach to exercise – combining running and beer, both in often immoderate quantities. Agenda hit the trail with the “man in charge” of the Beijing kernel, Thomas Moore, to chat about running in Beijing, HHH rituals and stories of romance.

Where did Hash House Harriers start?
Hashing originated from Malaysia, in December 1938, when a group of British colonial officers and expatriates began meeting on Monday evenings to play a racing game, to rid themselves of excesses of the previous weekend. The idea of the game was that one person is the “hare” and the rest are “hounds.” The hare starts off ahead and leaves a trail (chalk or flour) for the hounds to follow. The hounds must try to catch up with the hare.

What happens on the Beijing hash?
There are typically two types of hashes: live and preset trail. In the “live” hare runs we give the hare a head start and they begin marking the trail as they go. They try not to get caught before the beer stop(s) or the end of the run. The “preset trail” has two hares working together to set the trail before the run and then running with the group. We also have a walking hare for those who choose not to run.

Where does HHH run in Beijing?
We have three running formats in Beijing:
1) The Beijing Hash House Harriers – A pre-set trail that runs Sunday afternoons. This group runs in and around Beijing. It is a great opportunity to see parts of the city on foot and explore small alleyways and parks. The runs are usually 8-10K and have one or two beer stops along the route.
2) The Boxer Hash – Usually the third Saturday of every month. We run outside the city and usually go by bus. These runs are hilly and longer; up to 16K.
3) Full Moon Hash – Runs the night of the full moon. The third group runs in the city after dark with headlamps or torches. These runs tend to be 8-10K with 1 beer stop.
Both The Boxer and Moon hash have a “live hare” running ahead for the group to chase. All runs are followed by beer, the circle and dinner in a restaurant – usually Paddy O’Sheas or Tim’s Texas Bar-B-Q.

You mentioned that the circle happens after a run. What’s the circle?
The circle involves meeting or introducing new members, visitors, “long time no sees,” funny stories from the run and calling members into the circle for “accusations,” while drinking beer. It is something everyone should experience. The Beijing Hash also includes singing interesting hash songs.

I heard a story about HHH runners drinking beer out of old trainers … does this go on in Beijing?
All the groups have their own methods for punishing runners after the Hash, so let’s just say come for a run and find out some of the mysteries of the Beijing Hash ...

How did you get involved with HHH?
I have always been a recreational/competitive runner and I knew of the Beijing Hash House Harriers from stories a friend told me about when they had been on assignment in Beijing. When I arrived in China I began looking for running groups and good locations for running. Fortunately a former HHH president lived in my building and was part of an offshoot group that ran Wednesday nights in Chaoyang Park.

Have you run with HHH in any other countries?
I have run with groups in other cities in China, as well as in Thailand. There are groups throughout Asia and when traveling in the US or abroad I look up the local groups and try to run with them if my schedule allows. The expat community in China is transient and therefore many of our members lived in other cities in China and abroad and hashed with other groups before moving to Beijing. Just last year while in Thailand, I met a woman who lived and hashed in Shanghai previously and knew a gentleman I run with on Wednesday nights from when he too lived in Shanghai. Many members travel to and visit hashes in Asia regularly as well as global events like next year’s World Interhash in Indonesia.

Do you have any recommended running routes?
Personally I enjoy running almost anywhere in the city, but prefer the quieter and lower traffic areas including the many parks and embassy areas. If you don’t mind traveling outside the city there are great hills for trail runs in and around places like the Fragrant Hills and the Great Wall. I enjoy Chaoyang Park for it diversity and size; you can easily run 10K or more without repeated loops. Also the new Line 4 subway opens up some running areas over by the Summer Palace.

Is running with HHH a viable hangover cure?
Tough call on this one but I think most people would say that sweating out the toxins from a night drinking is beneficial. Plus we always have water available before, during and after the run.

Has there ever any HHH romance?
Sure it can be a good place for romance and there is romance – what is sexier than a group of sweaty runners? We have a very social group and you have the opportunity to meet new people every week. I think most people view it as a good network in Beijing and a way to make friends. Everyone hashes for his or her own reasons but you can always find someone with similar interests. We have members that work, study and volunteer in many fields and business sectors. One member even claims to have found an accountant and lawyer for his company via the Hash!

How do you deal with running in the smoggy haze of Beijing?
I think everyone agrees that the air in Beijing is not ideal for outside exercise, but we temper that with trusty beer and the knowledge that the exercise and experience out-weighs the haze. There is a twitter for air quality that many of us watch and there are days when some members will not run due to the pollution levels in the air, but the group runs come rain or shine.

What about the freezing winter weather?
Layers, layers, layers in the winter and try to stay cool in the summer. Our runs are either A to A, where we can leave warmer clothes in bags at the restaurant, or A to B, where we put the bags a car and they are transported to the end of the run. We hold our “circle” outside year round so we tell our hashers to bring warm clothes and to expect to stand around outside for up to 1 hour.

Do you have any yearly events?
We have other themed runs throughout the year such as the Easter run with an egg hunt and the Halloween run. Our big events each year are the spring “Red Dress Run” – both men and women wear dresses – a beach run weekend in June and our Christmas Bash and Hash in December. We also raise money and take donations for charity at the Red Dress and Christmas runs.

Visit Beijing HHH www.hash.cn or become a member on Yahoo groups for all the latest information. Beijing HHH sends weekly emails to members with upcoming events and locations.

Paddy O’Sheas Daily 10am-late. 28 Dongzhimenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District. (6415 6389) www.paddyosheas.com 朝阳区东直门外大街28号
Tim’s Texas Bar-B-Q Daily 9am-midnight. 14 Dongdaqiao Lu (on the corner of Guanghua Lu), Chaoyang District. (6591 9161) www.timsbarbq.com Tim’s 熏烤房, 朝阳区东大桥路14号贵友大厦正北200米