A different kind of running club in Copenhagen

"A drinking club with a running problem"
We are an international, non-competitive running club. The Copenhagen club was founded in 1980, but the Hash House Harriers movement dates back to 1938. It wouldn't still exist if it wasn't fun!

Hash? Does it have anything to do with drugs?

Definitely not. The "hash" in the name refers to the bar/restaurant in Kuala Lumpur where the movement was originally founded. A "hash house" is a cheap restaurant of a sort. The "harriers" part refers to the game of "hare and hounds" that the run is based on. The person setting the run is a "hare" that leaves marks for the "hounds" (i.e. runners/walkers) to follow. A hound chasing a hare is a "harrier" (or a "harriette" if female).

When do we run?

We run every week of the year, on Saturday at 14.30 in the winter (October to March) and Monday at 18.30 in the summer (April to September). The attendance is usually 30-50 people in the summer, and we get decimated to roughly half of the usual pack by the winter cold.

WE NEVER CANCEL A RUN. We are not scared away by weather or holidays. So there is no risk that you will come in vain.

Where do we run?

We most often run in the forests and other interesting bits of nature, but also have city runs, especially in the winter. We usually start from a parking lot next to a train station or bus stop in the Greater Copenhagen area, which you can find via the front page or the Runlist. Look for a group of people in colourful clothes. Sometimes the way from the station to the meeting point is marked with chalk or flour blobs, especially if there are parking lots on both sides of the station. When it's cold, bring some warm clothes to put on after the run. There is always at least one car available where you can store your bag during the run.

How does it work?

Every week we run in a different area, and we don't know the route beforehand - only the so-called hare, i.e. person that marked the trail, knows it, and the rest of us needs to find it by following marks made with flour. Once in a while the trail will stop (it's a so-called "check") and from that point you need to find out where it continues - the marks will continue after 100-200 meters. This way if you're a fast runner, you have a chance to run more by checking out possible trails. If you're a slow runner, there is a chance that the right trail will be found by the time you get to the "check". This way the fastest runner and the slowest walker will most likely finish the run within a few minutes of each other.

After the run we drink beer, form a circle and sing frivolous songs while praising or punishing fellow members for good or stupid things they did during the run by giving them some more beer to drink. If this all seems a bit silly, just take a moment to remember that it is a rich global tradition going back more than 80 years. It will still seem silly, but cultural, too.

How long is the trail?

If you're a recovering runner or a beginner, you can choose to walk part or all of the trail. The trail is usually roughly 7-10 km, but shortcuts are marked so that walkers and slow runners can end up doing only a 4-6 km trail. Sometimes people ask us what pace we run at. There is no answer to that - everybody runs at the pace that suits them. 

Will I be forced to drink beer?

No. You will not be forced to do anything, and your fellow hashers will surely be kind enough to drink your share of beer for you. If you are called into the circle (and as a first-timer you most likely will be), you may sip as little or as much beer as you want, or ask for something non-alcoholic instead. The circle is about entertainment, not hazing. If you have a sense of humour and an open mind, you’ll have a great time.

How much does it cost?

All first-time runners and first-time visitors run for free. After that the fee is 50 DKK per run, or 299 DKK per quarter (see details in the Subscription/ Run Fee Page) . The price includes all beverages during and after the run as well as some snacks (usually crisps) after the run. If we go to a pub after the run, it's pay as you go. If we are invited home to a hasher after the run, we are usually expected to bring our own beverages and pay 25 DKK for food. Both pub and private party are usually announced on the run list as "on-on".

Do I need to speak Danish to participate?

Not at all.
The official language of the Copenhagen Hash House Harriers is English.
A lot of us speak Danish though, so if you'd like to practise Danish, there will be plenty of opportunity for that as well.

If you have any questions that have not been answered above, you can drop an email to any of the people on the contacts page - the Amhashador, GM or RA are your best bet.

Read more about the hash house harriers around the world on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hash_House_Harriers

Please see also our Welcome Folder - it's very well hidden under Files.

Visitors from other kennels

We are always happy to welcome visitors from other kennels. As you can see above, we both run and walk, and we almost always run from places easily accessible by public transport, so if you want to see parts of Greater Copenhagen that other tourists never get to visit, then find the start location under Runlist or find us on Meetup, and come and say hi! There is no run fee for CH3 runs for first-time visitors (i.e. you run for free), but on-on's at pubs are pay-as-you-go, and if the on-on is at a private address, it's BYOB and 25 DKK fee for food. For CH4 (full moon) there is no run fee, but it's pay-as-you-go. RDH3 (long Sunday runs) have run fee of 75 DKK for all participants as there is warm food involved.

Please note that the run starts on time, i.e. 14.30 in the winter and 18.30 in the summer for CH3 runs, and 10.00 walkers and 11.00 runners for RDH3 runs. To allow yourself time to find the pack and stash your bag in a bag car, plan to arrive at the start location 10-15 minutes before the start time. If you're late, a large arrow next to the chalk talk is usually left to point the latecomers towards the start direction.

Visiting Copenhagen on a day when there's no run? We'll still be happy to meet you for a beer. Drop an email to the Mismanagement, and we'll find some thirsty hashers who'll introduce you to our hash bars.