Monterey CAN'd H3

We are about 15 - 25 people that meet Saturday afternoons, twice a month. Mostly a bunch of military and professionals who enjoy letting our hair down (ok, maybe even a little "frat" mentality), running, and drinking beer. We are a wide variety of ages and running ability, from marathoners to walkers and everything in between. This is an international organization, you can find hashes in countless cities around the world. While there is no direct connection between them, they all have very similar formats, and in fact, you'd be welcomed in any hash you attend.

It is an international "running game" whereby the pack (that's you) tries to solve the trail by interpreting marks put down in chalk and flour by the "hares" - those who set the trail. There are a few more details that we will teach you when you arrive. More Information

Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. about twice a month. Rain or shine. Sometimes earlier, sometimes later, but we always post to the website a few days in advance.

• 1:00ish: Start gathering. Opportunity to prelube and socialize (BYOB). Hash Cash collected.
• 1:15ish: Chalk talk.
• 1:30ish: Hares away and Introductions
• 1:45ish: The rest of the group starts after the hares and trail.
• 3:30ish: Towards end of run: Beer check (and water)
• 4:00ish: General socializing around the cooler, change into dry clothes, find lost hashers.
• 4:15ish: "Down downs": Organized announcements and such
• 5:00ish: Head to a bar/restaurant

It starts in a different place every week (choice of the hares), that's the beauty of it! It is a fantastic way to get to know the area. We'll take you to the beaches of Carmel, to the tourist section of The Cannery (from where we get our name), in and around Seaside and Marina, to the hot scrub of Fort Ord and Prunedale, and sometimes even peaks with incredible views of coastline. Each week's start is posted to this website, on Facebook, and usually an email is sent out to the hash email list and Google group.

80% of the trails are in the 4 - 5 mile range. Some will go to 7ish, and often there is a "turkey/eagle" split, which provides shorter vs. longer options.

• Running shoes that are NOT brand new (trust us on this one)
• Any after-running gear that you like to change into, most just change a shirt and put on sweats
• WARM outerwear for later, we tend to hang out outside for quite a while
• $5 dues, I.D., cab fare/bar stop money
• A flashlight/headlamp - especially during the winter - it gets dark fast!
• A sense of humor. Seriously - don't forget this! We are irreverent, tending toward the salacious and are definitely not politically correct!

Hash Cash (dues) are $5 per run. For your $5, in addition to the run, you also get a beer check on trail and at the end of the trail snacks and multiple trips to a cooler of beer, water, and soda.

If you do not drive and have a bag of stuff (hopefully you brought warm clothes for after the run), you will be able to put your stuff in a locked car of one of the members. Make sure to show up on time if you need to stow your stuff.

There is no membership, and everyone who works on organizing the hashes as well as the "big events" (Red Dress Run, special anniversaries and the Annual General Meeting), are purely volunteers. Your weekly money goes towards beer, food, water, snacks, etc., and some extras now and then.

Each week after all the festivities most of the group goes to a local establishment for food, more beer, etc.

If you stick around long enough, you will receive your own special hash name, usually related to something you do or say. Until then, you are known as Just "insert your first name here".

Monterey County Weekly (1-17-2013)

Feel free to email this year's (mis)management (cand.h3@gmail.com), with any additional questions. We're looking forward to meeting you!