Great Day for a Run!

The weather was perfect! Why wouldn't you go for a run? There was no rain, lots of sunshine, it was 36 degrees with high humidity and there was a Charity Sumo Hash Run on at Kamakura. Perfect location as well! Naturally, I say this with 'tongue in cheek'!
 

Tomodachi Charity Fun Run... 'In the Sun' 

Come and enjoy the fun in the sun at Kamakura this Sunday

Charity Run:  All donations will go to Tohoku Earthquake Charity

Sumo Hash House Harriers  Run No: 300 14 Aug 300th Anniversary Run!

12:00 PM Start

Starting at Wadazuka（和田塚）

Enoshima Dentetsu Line 江ノ島電鉄線 (ENODEN)

12:00 PM Start　(12時までに来てね)

Kamakura-kaihin Park （鎌倉海浜公園) 

Hares-Miss Piggy and Ice Delight

For First Time Hashers

The Hash House Harriers (HHH) is a running tradition going back to 1938. It was started in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, by Alberto Stephano Ignatius Gisbert, a British expatriate. Hashing is a noble sport where one or two persons (the hares), lay a trail of shredded paper, flour, sawdust or chalk marks (the scent) behind them, over fields, through woods etc., rather than on roads. A larger group of participants (the pack of hounds) set out later and track them. Hares set false trails, loops and several checkpoints where the scent abruptly stops. This temporarily confuses the pursuing pack, resulting in cries of 'Are-You?' and 'Checking'. On finding the trail once again, cries of 'On-On!' regroup the hounds who then continue the chase. Usually one member sounds a hunting horn or bugle (in our case a whistle)- short toots for checking, a long blast to rally the pack when they find the trail. Runs last roughly one hour, ending with plenty of drinks (mostly beer) and food.

Actually, any sane person wouldn't have tried to go for a run in these conditions, but 'say no more'!  Zan nen desu! Steve and I met up with Moses and Tay, a Singaporean whom Moses had worked with in Sakhalin, at Ishikawacho and caught the obligatory three trains to the starting point at Yuighama Beach. As it was an earthquake charity run it was a fairly large group that called, 'On, on!' and headed off. T-shirts were available for 1,000 yen with the money going to the chosen charity, as did the 1,000 yen per person entry fee. Many people paid more than the 1,000 yen for the t-shirt though, to support the earthquake victims.

Our run, the Kamakura Tomodachi Run, 'In the Sun',  started at midday and, unbelievably, there was another run, the Rising Moon Tomodachi (friend) Run, at 3.00pm. We weren't that mad though! The location was gorgeous and, in spite of being my 'gazillionth' trip to Kamakura, I saw sights that to date I hadn't seen. It may have been a perfect location but the hills were steep, very steep in places. We soon reduced our speed to a slower pace and halfway through, after missing an arrow and having to check back, the three guys said, 'We're outta here, we're going to the beach!' 

Not one to give I up I soldiered on, although by this stage it was more like a walking jog. Like on my Sumo Run at Enoshima last year, I was in imminent danger of becoming a molten mess on the pavement. Phew!! Nearly 8 kilometres later I reached the finish line.

The course took the 'hounds' along streets, up hills, past the Giant Buddha, up more hills, through temples and along paths lined with red and white banners, up more hills, through a cave, through cemetries (no, I wasn't ready to lie down yet), down the busy shopping street and the tree lined avenue of Kamakura township. Recognising my orientation by this stage, I thought I was nearly there. Wrong! The 'hares' then made us weave around and around the streets. I must admit it's easier to find the course on a daytime hash run. At night, I usually don't have the vaguest idea where I am! Mmm! Easy to become, 'Lost in Japan'!

Sometimes it was downhill!

A big guy ahead of me had trouble squeezing through this gap!

Finally, I was back to the start at Yuighama Beach. Jennifer wa o medeto gozaimasu! We enjoyed the customary 'Down, Downs' and ridiculous frivolity that always follows, which even saw me downing a glass of beer or two. Punishment, not because I was a Virgin Hare or new to the group, but because the four of us were having a private chat during the 'Down, Downs'! That was a signal for the Hash Master to publicly humiliate the offenders! We'd already had to down a beer because we hadn't done a hash run in the last four weeks. Goodness, they're a hard lot! There was delicious mahi mahi fish, beer and lots of nibbles and laughter. Well done Miss Piggy (Danny) and Ice Delight, great organisation!

When the battery went flat I had done 6.77 km's but, wait, there was still more!

Our little group headed off to the crowded beach for a long awaited swim. Unfortunately, we soon changed our minds when we saw the water wasn't quite as pristine as we'd hoped. We found a quaint little eating place called, 'Seedless Bar' and enjoyed a 'pricey' snack! Overlooking the beach and with the sea breeze wafting through, this small cafe was a lovely spot to rest before heading home.

We still had to walk back to the station in the sweltering heat to catch the same three trains home. The small, 'street car' like train (the Enoden Line) was insanely crowded, typical of a midsummer weekend. By the time we reached home 'Himself' was suffering heatstroke and questioning the sanity of our decision to go for a run! Simple, if we hadn't done it, we wouldn't have the tale to tell and remember. It's all part of the rich tapestry!

Min'na san ga ki-o tsuke te kudasai!