March 2005 - Episode One: A New Hope

[Sweder]

If I was excited earlier, I'm bl**dy fizzing now.
Not only am I jazzed about Reading, I've just had some excellent news regarding next weekend. As regulars here will know I've had a miserable February running-wise (along with a few others). March was to be my saviour month, getting me back on track for London . . . but I have to go to Hong Kong for 7 days next weekend. This means missing TWO weekend long runs, plus limited opportunities for mid-week training. Don't get me wrong, I'm not ungrateful - many people would love to spend a week in HK, especially as it's the same week as the rugby 7s . . . but I am concerned about running.

So I surf the net for possible runs going on out there, and what do I find? Next weekend is only THE weekend of the Forbidden Hash, a veritable running fest. Check out this link:
http://www.wanchaih3.com/forbiddenhash/forbidindex.htm

I've e-mailed the (mis)management and requested a place (I get in at 08:45, registration starts at 11:00) in the Sunday run. For those unfamiliar with Hashing, it involves a large bunch of ex-pats (Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, Yanks) coming together for a paperchase (they have several ranging from 45 minutes to 2.5 hours) through the countryside. This is followed by a street party at the finish where humiliation rituals (and in this case, a drag queen beauty pagent) are washed down with copious amounts of beer and curry.

No SP, this is not a waking dream ,this really happens.
And it looks like I'm going to be there. Just have to dust off my old Danny La Rue kit and I'm in.

As we used to say in my old roadcrew days: Woooaaaarrrrrgh!