| Run 518 21st December 2003 |
Graham Old Faithful and Pru Dowdell - The Santa Claus Run
Havant Thicket - Please remember to come suitably attired for this occasion!! Click for a map Click for a detailed map |
Anybody passing by the car park at Havant Thickett must have done a double take after seeing the motley crew assembled in yellow garb on a quiet Sunday morning.
When the hash notes send forth the order - The Santa Claus Run, dress in the appropriate fashion; then the pack does its best to comply.
With red and white Santa hats in various shapes and sizes, some even flashing(Tigger), reindeer horns (Sinbad). tinsel streamer around the hat (Eskimo), a complete red and green garb in the style of an oversized elf (Bambi) and even a man wearing ladies white pigtails attached to his hat, in true Rocky Horror transvestite style (Spiderman), the pack was in full festive cheer.
The JMs gathered the pack together but before they could commence with their penultimate performance, Dogwhistle stole their thunder by turning up late. However undaunted they announced the pub was invisible and would be located in this very car park and then over to the hares who set us off. The pack all went the wrong way and had to be called back and off through the paths and byeways. Although flat these crafty hares kept the pack together and had them twisting and turning with even a nice loop thrown in.
Considering Xmas was coming and many of the pack had been training in the Xmas shopping scrums, they still had enough energy to keep up a fast pace and cover all of the checks at speed.
The fact that the hares had laid little prizes throughout the course did help as even the slowest hasher responds to a bribe of chocolate. In a smallish area the trail was excellently laid and a good mornings fun was had by one and all. However the On In was eventually seen and the pack came in by dribs and drabs but as soon as the spread that Old Faithful and Rasta had laid on was seen, they gathered around like vultures waiting to sample the Xmas delights.
But first there was the matter of the hashit which, after much consideration and other nominations was awarded to Sinbad for front running at speed and allowing those not versed in hash lore to believe that (a) hashers are runners and (b) he is twenty years younger than he is! BUT..........
After he had been awarded said trophy, it came to pass that information was received that the Spiderman had put a set of hash rules upon the internet. This was so serious that a personage no less than the Hon Pres. himself had to be called forth to give his verdict.
The heresy of proclaiming hash rules when as we all know they do not exist and even worse announcing this sin to the whole world and therefore bringing shame upon our honoured pack was deemed to be sufficent to recall the hashit and reaward it to Spiderman - the first time this has been done in over twenty years!!!
So suitably chastised Spiderman made a dive for the mince pies closely followed by the remainder of the pack and within a short time the Chi HHH locusts had devoured all and began to depart for their homes and loved ones (or wives/husbands).
The last run of 2003 has passed and now we look forward to 2004.
Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to all of our readers. On On!!
Humble Scribe