Has anyone been running with the Taipei Hash House Harriers? Is it as fun as it sounds to be?
Frederic
I joined the Taipei Hash House Harriers for a run last year. I think “Hash House Harriers” is one of those sub-cultures where you either like it or you don’t. If the idea of going for a long run and then drinking a lot of beer at the end of it appeals to you then you will probably have a great time. If not give it a miss.
I thought it sounded like fun too, but you’ll find out that the ‘hash’ doesn’t mean what you think it did. 
Brian
:shock: [quote]Taipei Hash House[/quote]:shock:
I joined the Gaoxiong Hash in 1988, and liked it. (My hash name was “Problem Child”, on account of my youth - 21 years old!) There was a lot of beer drinking, and a lot of women. Basically guys would bring their wives/girlfriends, and the girls would bring their friends. I found out one Sunday that by walking the course, and not running it, I had a good chance to meet some local lasses - a chance I had previously ignored, because I was too concerned about keeping up with the guys at the front of the pack.
any more info on the hash house harriers, such as contact info and meeting times?
Some runs aren’t far from Taipei City, but others are further out. Finish depends on how long and how difficult the course is. You often won’t get home 'til after dark.
I went on several runs about a year or so back. I liked getting out into the hills without having to get up at daybreak to join a hiking group. It’s a way to see places you might not come across on your own. Right after the run, I usually hitched a ride back to town with another runner. Lots of folks just drive straight to the start point, do the run, and leave. There are also a number of folks who bring their kids, and the parents who don’t run watch them. Others bring their dogs with them. By the way, they also provide cold water and other drinks as well as beer.
A group of ex-pats and local wives/girlfriends seem to make up the core that partake of the post-run beer and fraternity-style socializing. While that turns some people off, the core folks are the ones who organize the runs and keep the group going.
I, too, enjoyed taking it easy and having a chat with “the local lasses,” though being female myself, my interest was purely social.
My introduction to the subculture came like this.
One day, I was walking around San Francisco. A guy comes jogging by.
Wearing a tutu.
Okay, I thought, this is San Francisco–you have to expect things like this.
A minute later, a bunch more guys came running. Following the first guy. One of them had a hunting horn.
I had to ask. “What’s the occasion?” I said cheerfully.
“Hash,” someone said.
I never found out why the first guy wore a tutu, though…or what they planned to do to him when they caught him.
You mean the “Hash Harriers” have nothing to do with rolling papers or bongs? Not even after they finish running? What’s the point of calling it hash, then?
You guys do some strange things with your free time…
Well, this is an ancient thread I am bringing back to life. It seems that there are a couple different groups of HHH in Taipei. Is it one or two? There are two different sites that give info on different runs. One takes place on Saturdays and the other on Wednesdays. Are these the same or different? Also, does anyone know about how long their average run is distance wise?
Here’s the Saturday one:
Wednesday one:
Gulp. Is the Frederic being the OP the Frederic? You know, as in Frontier? Would make it a bit spooky as he just crossed my mind this weekend… 
They’re different, but about the same people.
They use Facebook to communicate info. You can post your question directly there and see info about the upcoming runs.
The Sunday one is facebook.com/groups/ChinaHash/
So different but almost the same. Like there is the US president and Major Ma, president of Taiwan. No China-Rep. Same same but different. OK. Got it! Sawadee or what do they say in Thailand?
EDIT: This is no unfriendly reply. In fact it is friggin’ po-lite!
[quote=“gavmasterflash”]Well, this is an ancient thread I am bringing back to life. It seems that there are a couple different groups of HHH in Taipei. Is it one or two? There are two different sites that give info on different runs. One takes place on Saturdays and the other on Wednesdays. Are these the same or different? Also, does anyone know about how long their average run is distance wise?
Here’s the Saturday one:
Wednesday one:
taipeihash.com.tw/metrohash.htm[/quote]
The Taipei HHH is men only and mainly Taiwanese. It is very welcoming of new runners from anywhere, however. If you want to make some Taiwanese friends it is a great club.
The China Hash House Harriers (do a FB search to get info) meets on Sundays and is about half and half foreigners and locals, depending on the day. Some days are more like 2:1 locals to foreigners. Ladies are more than welcome! This club is definitely a great place to start hashing if you are a foreigner, as older hands can explain everything to you more clearly.
CHHH (CH3) and THHH (TH3) runs tend to be roughly similar in length, about 5-10 km, with 6-7 being typical.
There is also a once a month women’s’ HHH club called the Formosa HHH. PM me if you need more info on that one as my wife is involved in it. Their runs are about 4-5 km.
The Metro HHH is a night run and lengths vary, but they can be as long as TH3 and CH3 runs. You need a headlamp for these runs. Personally, I would discourage people from trying this kind of hashing first. It might be better to try one of the day time runs first and then move up to a night run. But if you are adventurous, go for it!
There are also small clubs in Hsinchu, Taizhong, Douliou, and Kaohsiung.
BigJohn summed it up quite nicely. I’ve never hashed in any of the Taipei Hashes, but I have met them at the AIR Hash (once a year, we do an All Island Run where all the hashes come together and do a trail. Several hundred people turn out). I believe the next AIR Hash will be in Taipei, actually. I’ve been hashing in Kaohsiung and Douliu for a few years now. From what I’ve heard, Hsinchu and Taichung tend to be pretty hardcore hashers, often with 10-12k+ trails and lots of singing at the down downs. Kaohsiung has good trails and nice people - I believe it’s the oldest hash on the Island (40th anniversary this year!). Down downs are pretty mellow and they have lots of special hashes (soup run, champagne breakfast run, Red Dress Run, etc.)
Former grandmaster of the KHHH, Boered Stiff, moved to Douliu and started the Douliu hash, which meets once a month. Our trails tend to be shorter (6-8k) and a mix of city, country, and mountain. Our crowds are mostly transients (teachers staying for 1 year or so) and tend to get pretty loud and out of control at times, but it’s all good fun.
Each hash has a website (the Taipei hash links are listed in the previous post)
Hsinchu - http://hsinchuhhh.wordpress.com/
Taichung - http://www.taichunghash.com/
Douliu - (Click the Hash House Harriers link on top of page) http://www.roxysbar.com/
Kaoshiung - http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/kaohsiunghash/
ON ON
Info about the All Island Run (AIR) -this year hosted by the CH3- the CH3 Down Island Run, and the CH3 2000th run - all happening this year - can be found on the CH3 Facebook page.
On On!
Does the CH3 group only do the drinking after the runs? Just like a Sunday-funday thing? I remember being at On Tap one Saturday night and hearing one of the managers talking about all the shenanigans the harriers were pulling that night. That’s why I assumed the first link I posted was the expats’ group, since that one has a Saturday run.
I think this group will be awesome. I’ve never heard of it before, and it seems like a perfect fit for me. I love running and drinking. All my drinking friends are too lazy to run. All the runners I’ve met are too into clean living to drink.
[quote=“gavmasterflash”]Does the CH3 group only do the drinking after the runs? Just like a Sunday-funday thing? I remember being at On Tap one Saturday night and hearing one of the managers talking about all the shenanigans the harriers were pulling that night. That’s why I assumed the first link I posted was the expats’ group, since that one has a Saturday run.
I think this group will be awesome. I’ve never heard of it before, and it seems like a perfect fit for me. I love running and drinking. All my drinking friends are too lazy to run. All the runners I’ve met are too into clean living to drink.[/quote]
Come out for a run, lad! PM me for details, or just sign up on Facebook.
It’s great fun!