How to Hare
Adhere to the following guidelines:
1. At least two weeks before run day, contact the webmaster at webmasterbator@ashlandhash.org with the information about your run, specifically the start location, description, dog/stroller friendliness, poison oak status, and cost.
2. Plan your trail to be 4-5 miles in length, or 60-90 minutes worth of running. Remember that most hashers are better drinkers than runners. A great resource for mapping your trail and figuring out its length is at http://www.usatf.org/routes/.
3. Before run day, assign a scribe, someone to arrive early enough to collect hash cash from everyone, hares included. You only have to collect enough money, usually $8-$10 per hasher (hares included), to cover your costs plus $10 off the top for the web site (every hash contributes to this).
4. Keep an accurate and readable list of attendees at the hash in the hash book (obtainable from Sherpa before the hash). For named AH3 hashers record the hash name as listed in the AH3 roster. For named visiting hashers record the hash name. For virgins and not-yet-named, non-virgin hashers record the name as "Just" and the hasher’s name with a last name (fake or real) or initials to distinguish the 14 different "Just Betsys" and 7 different "Just Mongos". Please circle the virgins’ names so that they can be easily added to the database. And record a readable e-mail address for virgins or others who want to be on the AH3 mailing list.
5. Be reasonable in your selection of the on-in menu. It's easy to give everyone three beers and food for $7 if you are wise and plan ahead. Think soup, chili, pasta, take-'n-bake pizza, etc., as cheap choices, and always include a vegetarian alternative. Ramen noodles w/chips and Hamm's Lite beer is not acceptable (though Hamm's is certainly suitable for down-down beer). Remember to provide non-alcoholic beverages at both the "beer" stop and the on-in.
6. Before we run, assign someone to write up your hash. If you don't, you will have to write it up yourself and it will be heavily edited to make you look bad. Writeups must be submitted within five days after the hash so that the writer doesn't forget the hash's lowlights and the on-in religious namings and other obnoxious behavior that needs to be reported. Writeups must be submitted in electronic form (written on a computer) and should be submitted using the online submission form. Or, if you are form-challenged, you can email the writeup as a text attachment or as the body of an email message to webmasterbator@ashlandhash.org.
7. Provide chalk or wallboard pieces for hashers at the beginning of the run. Also provide gypsum or flour if you think it will be needed. Gypsum is available at the Grange Co-op at for a 40-pound sack.
8. Do Not Pre-Mark! The "Manual for a Live Hare" says pre-marking defeats the original purpose of the sport, which is to chase live hares with the goal of catching them before they reach the on-in beer and food. Also, both hares should run as much together as possible. Having one hare run the first half and the other run the second half is not good hashing!
9. An important point about marking etiquette - a checkpoint is drawn by making a circle with a cross in it. It is always drawn with a circle with a cross in it. The design has absolutely nothing to do with the directions of the potential trail so you mustALWAYS draw it this way!!!