Sunday, January 10, 2010

Freezing Cold Hash Run

Sunday: Reinman Run

When I left for a run this morning, I felt a little grumpy. After completing a strong 8.74 mile run with Glenn consisting mostly of hills, I drove back singing loudly with Jason Mraz on the car stereo...
I've been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror
And bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer
My breath fogged up the glass
And so I drew a new face and laughed
I guess what I'm a saying is there ain't no better reason
To rid yourself of vanity and just go with the season...

The grumpiness was gone. That's why I love running. It reminds me of how beautiful life is. Even when it is 8 degrees outside and I'm drinking lumps of semi-frozen gatorade while puffing up a hill.

Saturday: Freezing Cold Hash Run

As I found out, hashing is a weird sort of trail running.
Taken from the organizer's website: A typical Hash "kennel" is a loosely organized group of 20-40 men and women who meet weekly or biweekly to chase the Hare. We follow chalk, flour, or paper, and the trails are never boring. When forced to, we'll run streets or alleys, but in general we see shiggy . . . fields, forests, jungles, swamps, streams, fences, storm drains, and cliffs. And although some of today's health-conscious Hashers may shun a cold beer in favor of water or a diet soda, trail's end is still a party. Perhaps that's why they call us the "drinking club with a running problem!" No kidding...there was so much alcohol involved before, during (yes, they had 2 'drink' stops with little water and generous quantities of alcohol) and after the run, it was a miracle everyone completed without being severely dehydrated or worse. But inebriated or otherwise, we all had a ball, stomping through the woods and marsh of Edison, howling to the accompaniment of a noisy bugle, following the trail of flour and orange surveyor's tape.

We were cautioned that this is woods running- not a nice road with course marshals. Warning: You may encounter the following hazards to slow you down: Wild Dogs, Rabid Raccoons, rats, marshes, Swamp gas, Sticker bushes, potential exercise, parts of trail underwater, destruction of running shoes and clothes from dirt, loud men over 50, secret trails and more.

Before the run. More pics to follow.
DH, Glenn, Rajiv and I formed our "pack". We were one of the slowest packs, but it didn't matter the slightest bit. We were not in danger of getting lost, as the average pace of the entire group was only slightly faster than a brisk walk (though at several places, Glenn charged through the hilly and uneven wooded area like it was level ground). DH and Rajiv returned after 3 1/2 miles, but Glenn and I opted for a slightly longer trail and covered 5.4 miles in total. Though the post-run pizza and turkey sandwiches had been devoured before Glenn and I made it back, as promised there was plenty of pigeon and mystery animal at the end of the run. I was slightly disappointed that instead of a pic of a grim-looking skull and cross bones, my T-shirt announced My Attorney Fights to Win, but it's a petty thing to gripe about...a great time was had by all.

So, if you call these crazy 5.4 miles "running", I ended my week with 34 miles.

Tuesday: 6 miles (57:47 - 9:38 per mile) + spinning
Wednesday: 4 miles (37:02 - 9:16 per mile) + core work (abs, lunges, biceps, triceps)
Thursday: 10 miles (1:33:50 - 9:23 per mile)
Friday: swimming 1000 yards
Saturday: 5.4 miles 'Hashing'
Sunday: 8.74 miles (1.38:56)

14 comments:

Erica said...

Love Jason Mraz! His music always puts me in a good mood too. The hash run sounds crazy but fun! Hope you have a good week.

Anonymous said...

The hashing sounds crazy and fun! Glad you enjoyed it.

You are so right about running helping one to see the beauty in things. Great job.

X-Country2 said...

Wow, that's a pretty crazy run. SOunds like fun though!

Felice Devine said...

Sounds fun! I have some relatives who are hashing maniacs on LI. They have a blast.

Scheri said...

You make hashing sound so fun that I even want to try it out :-) I'm not sure about the alcohol though... I would get drunk and lost, ha! Great job on all the workouts! You are going strong!!

Lindsay said...

i've read a few people's experiences with hashing, but i can't say i'm brave enough to go yet! some people report a little first-timer hazing and i'm too shy/big of a baby for that ;) glad you had fun though. i would have totally been the person starting and stopping the garmin so i could have my data like a nerd :)

Ali said...

Great week of workouts ... the hashing sounds like a lot of fun .. especially the 'drink stops'.

Abby said...

I've never tried hashing, but a friend of mine recommended it to me not long ago - sounds like fun!

Teamarcia said...

Your hash sounds like tons of fun!

Anonymous said...

I just found the website who discuss about
many
home business reviews

If you want to know more here it is
home business reviews

Irene said...

It does sound like fun! Nice going on the weekly mileage, too!

Elizabeth said...

I am studying abroad in South India in Mangalore and I am from Pennsylvania. I am on the cross country team at my college back home but now I am here and don't know where I can run or if there are any good road races I could try and enter in. Do you know of any from now until mid-way through April? Anywhere in South India that wouldn't be too far away by train even? Thank you!!

I Run for Fun said...

Elizabeth, Love your blog. Glad you are enjoying your first few days in Mangalore. I lived in TamilNadu in India, so am not very familiar about places to run in Managalore. Do you have a park nearby or a school or college track (stadium)?

I didn't participate in road races in India, but I have heard of a midnight run in Banglaore, which is not too far from Mangalore.

This blog lists some races, but they are all marathons or half marathons...
http://maniac808.blogspot.com/

The runner is from South India, though, so some of the older posts may give you ideas on places to run...

Sorry I can't be more helpful. Good luck!

Elizabeth said...

Thank you! I think there may be a park nearby and possibly a stadium. We're in the process of figuring that out.
And I checked that blog out-good stuff :)
Thank you, this was helpful! I am going to try and run either the 10K or half in Auroville on Valentines Day if I can work it out.
Good luck to you too!