The Sydney Thirsty Hash House Harriers

“A Drinking Club with a Running Problem”

R*ns every Thursday at 6:30pm   Visitors are most welcome

Setting a Good Trail

  • Set a run which will take around 60 minutes to complete, over interesting/varied terrain.

  • The entire pack should finish within 20 minutes of each other.

  • No one should become lost if they follow the trail.

  • In hot or wet weather you should consider making the run a bit shorter.

  • Preparation, thought and effort has to go into the job to make it a success.

  • If you are a virgin hare, try to set your first run with an experienced hash hare.

    • Choosing the place

  • Thirsty Hash territory is anywhere that is accessible by public transport within an hour of the city. A general rule of thumb is don't go north of Chatswood, west of Leichhardt or south of Tempe.
    Saturday runs can be anywhere and are usually a bit longer and have more bush than the Thursday runs.

  • Select a start site which has easy access and good parking space for the number of cars expected. Take into account the natives who can often get upset when we circle up outside their house, try to find a park with a little clearance from the locals.

  • Check out public transport access to the start and, if possible, advise the details to the TrailMaster (TM)

  • Winter runs should start within 30 minutes drive of the GPO and be in an area which is reasonably well lit.

  • Summer runs should be mainly through parks and reserves.

  • When you have selected a run site, notify the TM as soon as possible of your proposed run site so that the location can be published on the Diary on the website well in advance of the run.

  • If you are using a new run site, check your proposed location with other hashers.

    • Finding a date

  • Agree the run date with the TM. You can see what dates are available on the calendar on the website.

  • The TM will enter your name onto the list for that date. If there is any special significance about that date (birthday, national independence day, start of summer etc) then get in early.

  • Your more extensive information (directions, On On, theme etc) should be provided to the TM approximately a month before the run so that it can be added to the website. These may include more explicit public transport directions than those provided via the weblinks. If provided, these should detail transport options from the City.

  • The On On is one of the following, either a “cheap and cheerful” restaurant, pub serving food, BBQ by the committee or a hare organised affair of pies/pizzas etc. Options are limitless.

  • Make mention if money is required during the run for fares, beer stops etc.

    • Setting the Trail

  • When an area is unfamiliar, at least two recce's should be performed to ensure a good run. The first recce should be for familiarisation with the unfamiliar area (this can be skipped if the area is familiar). The run should be planned on paper from features noted during the second recce. Try to pick out convenient check points, cross roads, obvious tracks for back trails etc.

  • The run should be set on the day, to avoid washouts and not two or three days in advance. As a rough guide, the time to run is approximately equivalent to 1/2 - 2/3 the time taken to set/walk the run. In winter, at least one recce should be carried out after 6.30pm.

  • Mark the trail with checks etc. on a photocopy of the street directory map. Make sure the map is double enlarged to make it easier for you to mark, and the Trailmaster to read (and don't be too alarmed if I tend to read the map upside down).

    • Putting it all together

  • At the circle, the GM will ask you to provide a quick run down on the run and details on the On On.

  • Hand over your precious map to the TM with any special instructions etc. Great if you can provide the map in an A4 clear plastic sleeve.

  • You can choose how to spend the run...some hares spend it at the bucket/pub the whole run (after the exhaustion of setting the run in 45min immediately previous to the circle start time), while others go on trail to provide assistance as required.

  • For the circle afterwards, the committee will have taken care of organising scribes etc., so all you have to do is take your down-down for being the hare.

  • Make sure you keep track of the time for what you've organised for the On On, and let the RA know how much time is left (some restaurants shut early).







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    Sorting out the Beer


    At the moment the STHHH doesn't have a dedicated Beermeister, so each week's hare needs to provide the refreshments for the circle. It's not hard, it just requires that you bring what's needed to drink, and coordinate with the hares for the previous and following week's runs. This is what you need to do:

    The Eleven Commandments of Thirsty Hash beermeistering

    1. The hare is beermeister for the week.

    2. Ask for assistance well ahead of time if you don't have a car or face other logistical challenges. Other hashers are usually willing and able to help. In all the commandments below, you need to arrange for assistance if you can't do it yourself.

    3. At the previous week's run: collect the buckets (drink containers) and unused drinks/cups from the previous week's run.

    4. At the previous week's run: contact the committee member living closest to you or the committee in general to check the state of the booze inventory. We buy drinks on special offer when available to keep prices low, and store in committee members' lockups. You must do this before buying your own drinks. If you don't get some drinks from storage, you won't be able to keep to the $120 reimbursement limit (see the eighth commandment).

    5. Before your run: check that you have enough to keep the hash in booze. Don't buy snack food because you won't be reimbursed for it. You'll want    
      ·       Two slabs of full-strength beer (VB, Carlton, etc.)
      ·       One slab of light beer
      ·       Six bottles of wine/bubbles
      ·       Twelve small bottles of ginger beer
      ·       Slab of small water bottles if available, otherwise several large bottles of water.
      ·       Three bags of ice
      ·       50 plastic cups
      ·       Bin bags

    6. Before your run: buy anything you haven't either inherited from the previous week's run or collected/received from the committee stash.

    7. Before your run: do not spend more than $120 without Hash Cash's prior agreement because you will not be reimbursed for more than that. Do not buy beer at more than $40 per case or wine at more than $12 a bottle. We need average costs to be far below these levels. Some hares in the past have generously contributed out of their own pocket to buy premium brands. This is fantastic but can't be reimbursed.

    8. At your run: Hashers will help you carry the drinks from your car to the circle on the day of the run. Others will probably be happy to pour down-downs and allow you to relax at the circle. When setting your run, note the location of the nearest bottle shop in case we run out.

    9. At your run: You'll be popular if you choose to provide a half-way bucket, but note that this is your responsibility and your cost. Half-way buckets are voluntary.

    10. At your run: The following week's hare should collect the buckets and leftovers from you (see the third commandment). If he doesn’t, someone else may be willing to take them off you. Otherwise, take it home and send the new hare a rude email (sydneythirstyhhhnews@yahoogroups.com for maximum exposure).

    11. At your run: Hand itemized receipts to Hash Cash for reimbursement on the day of your run. No receipts, no reimbursement. Don't hang onto them and produce them at some future date. And if you are planning a BBQ or home cooking, talk to Hash Cash before spending anything. Such events may not in principle be loss-making to the hash.