Imagine a wild scavenger hunt meets a casual jog with a beer in hand—with witty rituals, trail tricks, and good company. That’s the Hash House Harriers (aka The Hash): part running group, part social club, and endlessly mischievous.

What happens on trail?

The hares set the trail with chalk, flour, or paper, while the hounds chase after. Before the start, a quick “chalk talk” explains trail symbols, checks, and tricks to keep runners guessing.

On trail, the pack follows marks through streets, parks, or shiggy, pausing at beer checks to rest, laugh, and share a drink. The journey is as much about camaraderie as the chase.

All are welcome no matter how little you drink or how slowly you “run.”

Afterward, the group gathers in a lively circle for songs, down-downs, and good-natured teasing before often heading to an “on-after” at a bar to continue the fun.

The names

Hashers earn hash names based on funny, embarrassing, or memorable moments on trail or in the circle—sometimes based on personal quirks, habits, or mishaps. Until a hasher is named, they are a “just” as in Just Jeremy or Just Phoebe.

History of the Hash

Founded in 1938 in Kuala Lumpur by A.S.I. “G” Gispert and fellow British expats, the first kennel was named after their club’s dreary “Hash House” cafeteria. The idea was simple: chase trails, sweat out hangovers, and celebrate with drinks. After a wartime pause, the Hash revived in 1946, and by the 1960s it spread across Asia, Europe, and beyond. Its tongue-in-cheek goals still hold: promote fitness, work off excess, build thirst, and quench it with beer. Today, this “drinking club with a running problem” has grown into a global phenomenon with an estimated 1,500–2,000 kennels, from big cities to tiny outposts—even Antarctica.