Monday Night Social Runners and Walkers - Colchester

Becci sets up a Facebook Group

Becci had the brilliant idea of setting up a Facebook page and email list for people who wanted to continue with the Monday evening run and walk with a drink in the pub to finish. It didn't take long for the group to attract thirty-odd people. We realise that not everyone will turn up every week but it would motivate our original small group to keep up with their running.

Week one had us meeting at Abbey Fields for a five mile jog and chat ending up in a local pub for a drink.

There were runners who ran either four or five miles and walkers including Bella the Jack Russell.

A well earned drink at the end of a lovely run

Licking her lips in the hope of a stray crisp but she's on a diet!
Well that's us girls for you - always watching our weight!

The usual stats:

Thank you Becci for organising us - it was a lovely evening.

Pretty Muddy Race For Life

Ipswich Race for Life run

My race buddies Becci and Heidi and me

This was my first Race for Life and also the first Pretty Muddy one held in Ipswich. It will be my last!

There were ten obstacles along the 5k route at Trinity Park. The first was a series of three pink plastic solid 'barrels' which you had to climb over. Unfortunately for me, having torn my thigh muscle last year, I was not able to lift my leg without a sharp pain and someone very kindly kicked my wrist as I tried to pull myself over. I tried the second one but gave up and ran round the Marshall at the third. Off to a poor start!

There were then tyres to skip through and trays of muddy water with nets over them and tubes to go through. These were uncomfortable and we started to get quite dirty and then we came to an A frame with a rope ladder up and down. It was quite scary at the top but we all managed it.

The penultimate obstacle was a low tank of mud with elastic ropes woven above and we were told that we had to get down on all fours to go through. There was an extremely over enthusiastic volunteer with a broom who decided it was ok to sweep the mud straight into my face. It went up my nose and in my mouth and my knee jerk reaction was to stand up remonstrate that it was too much and get out of the tank! Well sometimes common sense must prevail.

The last obstacle was to climb up another rope ladder whilst wet and muddy and then slide down into another muddy water tank. 

Great fun for some but not for me I'm afraid. Completely ruined by the idiot with the broom. I applaud the idea of raising money for charities especially research into cancer but I will be leaving this sort of event to those who enjoy mud and are prepared for greater than usual risk of injury!!

Friday on Saturday

The first of the winter Saturday hashes at Friday Woods

Why are we waiting - the keen ones!

It was a very humid Saturday morning that saw the Mersea Island Hash House Harriers meeting at Friday Woods for the first of the Saturday hashes. 

We were our usual mix of walkers and runners but also today we were joined by a very special runner:

Don't mess with us!
Becci and Erwin showing attitude

Once we were all ready it was off as usual in three directions until the correct one was found.

Off we go!

The woods proved to be quite a difficult and tough terrain not just because there were lots of tree roots, muddy puddles and hills but because the humid weather made it hot and tiring. That did not slow down our faster runners, however, and it was all I could do to keep up.

One of the faster runners sets off - that's Erwin not Becci btw!

If you go down to the woods today, you'll be sure of:

A few surprise hills

 every hasher that ever there was

will be there today

for certain because

today's the day the hashers will
get their feet wet

Feet wet time for Harriers, the little Harriers are having a lovely time today:

The humid atmosphere made us all perspire but it was great for the growth of fungi - I felt nervous that 'The Big Grin' would be demonstrating edible and non-edible types but thankfully he was running on half a tank like me today.

Oh no 'The Big Grin' surveys the woodland floor
and is that Becci doing up her rogue shoe lace again!!

Ah! The blue glove we'd been asked to watch out for!
The significance of which still remains lost to me! 

It was time for Tarzan antics again:

'Whowears' in action

Off we go again - Erwin showing how it's done.

All too soon we were back home and ready for some scrumping!

Have ladder will cycle - with a little scrumping along the way.

Sadly there was no pub stop for me or Erwin and Becci who, I have to tell you, had already been out for a run with her other dog with a canine running group. There is no stopping that girl at the moment!

The usual stats:

Overheard:

• "Is he tired?" - "no, I've got a leak" (the mind boggles!)
• "Which way Geoff" (Whowears picking the right route every time)
• "Hang back" - was this David being kind to us - no, of course not, down the hill there was a loop back where the front runners have to run back to join the last runners and he wanted us as far back up the hill as possible!
• 'Did you lay this hash, David?'

We're off to Bengal

A Monsoon-like Monday Night Hash

No pub tonight but the former Welshwood Arms still
boasts a bar!

The rain tonight added to the sense of the evening drawing in but it didn't dampen the spirit of our happy hashers.

'The Big Grin' tells us what's what before we set off but
is anyone actually listening?
 

'Whowears' and David had cycled all the way from Mersea Island in about thirty-five minutes and would then run the hash at a great pace. What a fit bunch these Hash House Harriers are.

Our walkers were ready for the off and no-one was keener than this little regular:

Alert and attentive - someone was listening to 'The Big Grin' then!

It wasn't long before we were taking in the sights and sounds on our First of September outing.

Blue was the theme of the evening!

Becci makes short work of this kissing gate

It seemed to be an evening of gates.

This one involved climbing small, wet, metal steps

I don't know if it was the darkness approaching but this hash was very fast and it was difficult to keep up.

A false trail I'm afraid

We seemed to be combining both rural and urban settings for this run.

Excuse us while we get through yet another gate

Or do up our rogue laces - bottoms up! Becci!

The sun saying farewell

Welshwood Park was a very interesting estate with a variety of architecture. Some Arts & Crafts houses alongside all glass modernisations.

There must be a pub round here somewhere!

We were getting quite bedraggled by this stage and the lure of the pub and some refreshment was just the incentive we hashers love. It wasn't to be yet awhiles though as we found ourselves heading off into the woods again.

'Whowears' has a sixth sense for 'home'

It was quite dark in the woods so I was thankful for the torch light on my iPhone as I didn't want to trip over tree roots underfoot.

Welsh Wood is an ancient woodland and you can
read more about it here

Mud, mud
glorious mud but you have to keep going.

'Whowears' - now he's a runner who keeps going!

For some though it's a stroll and a chat!

We were still chasing our tails in the dimming light but were enjoying the surprises the route had in store.

You never know what you might come across on a hash

The trail led us up and down steps and through some lovely countryside.

 Then David had a little adventure:

Yes it was a mushroom which David was convinced was not edible. He was absolutely horrified when 'The Big Grin' ate a chunk of this poison fungi.

'The Big Grin' - living up to his Cheshire Cat nickname
 "And you've just had some kind of mushroom /
And your mind is moving low /
Go ask Alice, I think she'll know."
(ten points if you know who sang this little ditty)

Never a dull moment when out on a hash but it was time to move on.

Heading on home

Just in case you were getting anxious 'The Big Grin'
not only survived but carried on munching - sweeties this time - I think!!

The usual stats

Overheard:

The trail led us across a field of long wet grass and people were calling out to 'Whowears' concerned to know if his feet were wet:

On On indeed!!

(Ditty: Jefferson Airplane)