This weekend Radcliffes Lodge is host to Newcastle Hash Harriers. The Hash House Harriers (HHH or H3) is an international group of non-competitive running social clubs. An event organized by a club is known as a Hash or Run, or a Hash Run.

The Hash is humorously known as A Drinking Club With A Running Problem, with the preferred beverage of consumption being beer.

The objectives of the Hash House Harriers as recorded on the club registration card dated 1950 are:

• To promote physical fitness among our members
• To get rid of weekend hangovers
• To acquire a good thirst and to satisfy it in beer
• To persuade the older members that they are not as old as they feel

At a hash, one or more members lay a trail, which is then followed by the remainder of the group. Paper, flour, or chalk are usually used to mark the trail. The trail periodically ends at a “check”. The pack must find where it begins again; often, the trail includes false trails, short cuts, dead ends, check backs, and splits. These features are designed to keep the pack together despite differences in fitness level or running speed, as front-runners are forced to slow down to find the “true” trail, allowing stragglers to catch up.

It looks like it should be a fun weekend ……