Thursday was a fairly relaxed day as far as the World ARC program was concerned enabling the fleet to make some final preparations for taking the start on Saturday at midday. The morning kicked off with a hash house harriers style fun run where 15 energetic participants turned out for the first of many of these World ARC Hash House runs. Many people have inquired exactly what a Hash House Harrier run actually is? So to help dissolve any confusion here is a brief summary of what is involved in this enjoyable exercise.
What are the Hash House Harriers?
On Thursday morning the World ARC team organised a hash house harriers style fun run where a ‘hare’ goes ahead and lays a trail for a group of runners to follow; it's a good way to enjoy a run with a group of mixed abilities as along the route there are decision points which are marked by a flour circle on the ground. At these points, which might be two or three way, the lead runners act as scouts to identify the false and true trails. Looking for small solid circles on the ground the scouts shout them out as they advance "One - On!" "Two -On!" - and then the false trails are marked by a line and the group are told by a cry of "Back-Back!".
In the meantime the scouts on the correct path will have found three spots - and the cry of "On-On!" is heard. The scouts on the false trails come back, and take the right path, meaning they will have run a greater distance. Some runners arrive at the decision point once the right path is known, and so the group comes back together. Those runners which have taken the correct path carry on but once they reach the next decision point it will be they who scout, and some will end up on the false trail!
In total 15 runners of varied abilities joined in on the first World ARC hash house harriers run. It was a fun early morning activity and a fine way for other keen runners within the fleet to get to know another. A heavy rain shower halfway as the group ran through Gros Islet village was actually a nice way to cool down! The early morning hash was also a good way to explore the local area, and there will be more along the route of World ARC, the next being on the island of Contadora in Las Perlas Islands.
Wannes from Sweet Pearl enthusiastic about the first Hash House Harrier run in Rodney Bay