Hash Runs in Tokyo!!

A Virgin Hare!  

Date: 7th July, 2010
Venue: Shinbashi
Hares: Tunnel of Love / Pink Lips
The Star Festival on 7th July Run
(Two independent crossing trails for hashers and harriettes)
Dress Code: White
Pink Lips' Virgin Hare
Bring 200 yen!

Wow!! In a hundred years I couldn't have imagined I would be doing a Tokyo Ladies Hash House Harriette's Run with the theme Pink Lips' Virgin Hare Run. 

As it was a special Harriette's Run the men and women ran slightly different courses with different checkpoints. The trails crossed along the way and cleverly brought us together at similar times for some checkpoints, in particular the Beer Stop. The trails are designed so that everyone stays together. A checkpoint requires the pack to split and find the next part of the course. Once found whistles are blown and to the call of 'On On' the run continues. I was proud that I sprinted the last kilometre and a bit. I had to otherwise I may have lost one of the hares who were ahead. Near the end we even had to catch a subway train. 

 What a brilliant night. Fifty people, 9 km's in the heat and humidity through the streets of Tokyo, shouting 'On...On', with a wild party in a traditional Japanese restaurant to follow. Beer, beer, beer, white wine, hot sake, the drinks flowed liked water!! 

 

 

I am no longer a Virgin Hare!!

It was really, really good fun. After a few hashes (if I survive) I should be well prepared to tackle Mt Fuji in early August. That's a project team building event though, not a hash!! Moses, who is on the project team, is also preparing with us!! 

Steve's boss KC has also been doing the runs. 

 

 Lost!!  14th July

 Finally I'VE DONE IT!! Yeh!!! 'Lost in Japan!' 

Hot.....sweaty and running but still......laughing!! I even managed to catch eight trains in under three hours.

Went on my second Tokyo Hash Run in Hiroo and lost the course at the second last checkpoint! I had been running with Steve and Paul, but sent them on to wait for Alex, my partner, who had dropped behind. I waited and waited and then when she appeared I yelled out and ran on. Everything was going well, I was passing arrows and making turns left, right and centre when.... uh oh!....I realized I hadn't seen any arrows for a while. 

Unfortunately I didn't realize this until I'd done another kilometre. Ended up who knows where and had to catch two subway trains and a JR train to get back to Hiroo, then took wrong exit and came out on wrong side of station. Retraced my steps and used a different exit and amazingly met Steve and Paul on their way home! After waiting for 45 minutes at the finish they had given me up as lost! Just as well they found me though because they proceeded to catch the Hiroo subway (going the wrong way!!) and we ended in Roppongi. This meant getting off, finding the correct platform and going back to start again. Good one!

It was a very warm evening and as I ran my face and ears were literally burning. In the heat energy reserves are quickly depleted and your body feels weighed down. With a sweat saturated shirt and bright red face, I received many stares as I travelled solo on the various trains. Requests for assistance were met with blank stares except for one European man, with minimal English, who tried to Google my location and another American who confirmed where I was. Every time I saw a person running I followed or asked "Hash??" at which they looked at me as if I was mad (not far off the mark). Oh, to speak the language! 

I had a choice; catch a taxi for 700yen (I only had 500 on me), retrace my steps for 25 minutes (bad joke) or catch a series of trains to get back to Hiroo. The last choice was the one I opted for because my Suica card was safely stowed in my bra (just in case I needed it for such a situation!).

As it was Bastille Day that was the theme of the run and the French Embassy had been chosen as the last checkpoint. I was disappointed to miss the French wine at this checkpoint. Damn while others were reaping the rewards I was catching subway trains and the JR Yamanote Line!

Had this happened to me when I first arrived in Tokyo I would have been mortified but all I could do was laugh at my stupidity. Fortunately I had plenty of credit on my Suica card. Had it been low I might not have felt so confident. 

Future strategies: As a result of this incident Steve and I have decided that if either of us gets lost/loses the trail again we will just go home!! If the lost person doesn't turn up by midnight, or certainly 1am, then get worried because that's when the trains stop for the night! 

I have an interesting run coming up next weekend on an island south of Kamakura. Hopefully I will not get lost as I may not have easy access to a train. As it's a day run, the temperature will  be a challenge. With the thermometer steadily rising each week and August supposedly the hottest month I will need more stamina than I possibly have!! Will keep you posted.