How did it work out?

Well, opinions may differ on these things but those available for comment today at the much reduced Hatyai Hash seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed it and the fact that we got 14 runners going round an almost 7k trail which disregarding the 10 minute start for the first hare took 1 hour 40 to complete, and that those 14 included not only regular long runners, but also the short run as well as Kan Kai, Tata and Spotted Dick, speaks for itself. Lots of room to criticize the organisation and execution - as always nothing is perfect, but we didn't lose anyone, the whole pack got in more or less together, and the run, even allowing for the final hare's problem with finding the run site looks much like one of our normal runs.
If nothing else it proved that the format is viable and certainly worth another shot sometime soon.

HH3 on Sunday

Here is this week's HH3 map, helpfully annotated with (right pointing) arrows for those coming from Songkhla, the turn off point from the Old Hatyai road being that at 4.7k and the distance to the runsite from there being 9k.
If you are coming from Hatyai, the Poonakan route is marked, but equally possible is a right turn at the Nam Noi traffic lights, then 7k, then right at Ta Kham for 3k.

Geddit?

 

With a number of regular runners otherwise engaged this weekend and a semi-official HH3 trip to Sarat Buri taking place, this seems like an ideal time to have another try at something a bit different - a relay hare run. OK, so the last time we tried it back at our birthday run 3 years ago, it didn't work too well, but with a smaller pack and a friendlier piece of country, it's worth another shot.

So, the idea is that the runners present will draw lots and the winner will get a bag of paper and a GPS and will set off from the run site with a start of 10 minutes. The hare can set one normal check, but at their second check, they don't lay any more paper, but hide, and the check is broken when they are found. 

The person doing the finding then becomes the hare, takes over the paper and the GPS and sets off with 5 minutes start. Each succeeding hare gets 2 checks before hiding and giving up the bag of paper unless they get caught in which case they give up the paper immediately. 

Hopefully everyone knows how to read the GPS which will be automatically programmed to show the direction back to the run site . The 5 minute breaks between hares should allow both our normal long and short runners to take part and be involved and the idea will be to keep the run within reasonable bounds while allowing 4 or 5 different people to act as hare.

If you are in town please come along and give it a try as if this works it could be something we can do from time to time to liven up the proceedings as well as reducing the strain on the hareline!

The run details are :

SH3 run #1636, Saturday October 13th, 2012

Misdirections: From the Ko Yo intersection, take the old Hatyai road for 4k and turn left for 6k, then right for about 300 meters and follow paper/signs to the run site.

No details at present of the HH3 run this weekend, but they will be posted/sent on later.

Today's HH3 run

Stats: 7km long, 350m ascent, 217m at its highest. The highlight was half a kilometer of fairly primeval stream bed, which at least one hasher (Mii the Dog) refused to descend. A bit of drama was added by rain and impending darkness before everyone got back. But only one runner really went missing, and even he reappeared not long after dark, by which time about four search and rescue people were still out and unaccounted for. The long-run hare PO'ed early, claiming some sort of excuse. Bogus, but it beats sitting on ice on a cold dark evening . . . if there was even a circle?

The run that didn't eat Ding Dang

Scant details available of Saturday's Kii Leum-Only a Yolk run, which seems to have been less than 6k and took about 1 hour 10 minutes for the super fit, and a minute or so less for the also rans. The top point was recorded as 221 meters but no reliable total ascent is available. The short run was recorded at a miserly 2k but apparently took 40 minutes to complete.

Meanwhile Ding Dang is reported to be in therapy after narrowly escaping the gorge of death this (Sunday) afternoon and being transported back to the run site by a rubber tapper, while rescue teams were still out hoping to find him. No doubt the hare will give us the gory details before he departs for his 2 month sojourn in Hand Job territory.

Redirections for Today's HH3 run

The involuntary editing of the directions originally posted below has been corrected, but just to stress that directions to today's HH3 run site are:
From the Ko Yo intersection take the old Hatyai road for 4.6k and turn left for 8k, then right at Wat Keow Kloy for 7.5k into Th. Poonakan, then turn left towards Ban Nai Rai. Go 3.5k and turn left, then go 350 meters along the new asphalt road to the run site on the left.

Kii Leum takes control

After being overruled by co-hare, Only a Yolk about this week's SH3 runsite, Kii Leum has now stamped his authority on the run and is reported to have been completely responsible for deciding that he will carry the paper-bag tomorrow when it is laid. He has also firmly decided that he will force Only a Yolk to tell him where to go, and will have none of this "it's up to you" faffing about. Happily, of course the run has been comprehensively recce'd and Kii Leu left nothing to chance by insisting that OaY had complete control of the GPS during the recce and gave clear and unequivocal directions based on the pre-loaded track, which he followed decisively.

Details of the resulting run are:
Songkhla Hash House Harriers run #1635. Saturday October 6, 2012: 4:30 p.m.
Hares: Kii Leum and Only a Yolk
Misdirections: from the Ko Yo intersection take the new Hatyai road for 8k and turn left into the run site adjacent to the erection formerly known as the DTAC Tower but latterly referred to as Gordon's Folly.

Sunday's HH3 run is being set by Beavershot a.k.a. Sex Focus, and Sex Star.
Directions are: From the Ko Yo intersection take the old Hatyai road for 4.6k and turn left for 8k, then right at Wat Keow Kloy for 7.5k into Th. Punnakan, then turn left towards Ban Nai Rai. Go 3.5k and turn left, then go 350 meters along the new asphalt road to the run site on the left.

Mars Rover Discovers Proof of Water on Mars

Age Old Question Answered - yes he does!!!

The bear essentials

Ok, Anonymous, you asked for it..

An early arrival at the run site, the bear gets stuck into the Leo...

...then decides to join the run but unfortunately heads off in the wrong direction towards....

... the big tree and fails to bear left (or right!)