Madison Hash House Harriers

March 15, 2008

HASH HISTORY - HASH RUN #1596 - The St. Urho's Day Run

EDITOR'S NOTE: The hashers who volunteered to take notes and do the write-ups for these runs apparently lost their notes and are still drunk somewhere since no write-ups were submitted. Photos from both events seem to validate the following accounts.

PIP and ABR started their St. Urho Day run on the east side, in the church parking lot near the Monkey House. It was a nice day but there was still snow on the ground so the hares used pink/orange tinted flour, apparently the official St. Urho color. About 30 hashers showed up in their St Urho garb consisting of various colors of hair, shamrock ornaments and bright running outfits. PIP set most of the trail DC style with assistance from POOP EYE who missed the actual run but was available earlier in the day. The initial FRBs took off toward downtown and got far ahead before the bulk of the pack turned back when they realized they had gone several blocks without seeing marks. This allowed some of the "back of the pack" runners to become FRBs. The trail continued around the east side passing by many drinking establishments, along the Starkweather Creek trail, on and off the bike trail, and onto a long back check on railroad tracks. The pack split apart significantly by this time and there was much milling about as everyone tried to find the trail. A number of runners followed ABR on the presumption he knew where he was going. After a moderate distance he turned back to those following and told them he really didn't know where the hares set the trail. It was about this time that the original FRBs returned to the group after having gone missing for much of the run. Turns out they ranged so far on the initial take-off that they jumped the gap and got lost on the return trail. Eventually most everyone found their way to the beer check at Dexter's Bar at the corner of North and Johnson Streets. This extended beer check included great microbrews, lots of popcorn and men with no underwear. A small band of performers outfitted in traditional kilts and rather large sporans showed up with bagpipes and drums for St. Urho's day. Hashers danced and sang while they performed. Eventually everyone headed back to the start and the On-On nearby at the PIP-AGATOR apartment. The hares served great microbrew beers and ABR's St Urho specialty, glog along with genuine Finnish Lanttulaatikko (rutabaga caserole) and Bierokkinnen (a shepherd's pie-like dish). The party got real lively when the women decided they all needed pigtails in their hair. This led to a group photo of all the pigtailers. The high energy of the party continued into a chaotic session of ceremonies that included toasting the hares for their great run and On-ON, several YAKALAYME sound alike awards for talking, the naming of Just Pammie to BEDRIDDEN, and a sexpot dance performed by MONKEY. The party started to wind down after LIKES IT took on all comers in an arm wrestling and Indian leg wrestling challenge and TRAILER administered some fabulous massage therapy. St. Urho certainly blessed this fine event.