Marathon Hash NYCH3 #1345
HARES: Dr. Steve (aka up to my pho-king Elbow) and Jonathan
START: West side of Fifth Avenue between 96th and 97th Streets
ON IN: Speakeasy Room, Gin Mill (81st and Amsterdam)
SCRIBE: Just Brittany
Seems every year on the first Sunday of November, two trails are traditionally set through New York City. One is entirely too long, covers 5 boroughs and 26.2 miles, and has zero checks along the way to bring the pack together. Even worse – being a FRB on this trail is encouraged, and even rewarded with valuable cash and prizes. Raceists.
For the less ambitious among us, the other traditional trail set by Dr. Steve is significantly shorter, meanders through Central Park and the Upper East Side, and includes a boozy coffee check well timed to coincide with the elite women raceists r*nning by before returning to the start to cheer on the overachieving runners among us.
And so it went as normal in 2009, with a small pack of hung-over runners (hey, it was the day after Halloween) dashing off on the trail, while the more sensible among us hung around the start and drank beer or Ow My Balls! Special mixed drink “sip and go naked” aka Compton Margarita, and bagels. The drinkers managed to terrify Hizzonner when he drove by waving, and I’m sure our photo is somewhere stating “NYC Hash endorses Bloomberg”. Either that or he was wondering who the loud drunks were befouling his fair city.
From the usual marathon viewing location near mile 23, a good crowd showed up to encourage the marathon r*nners. It was a good day for the marathon (sunny, dry, and cool), with the dedicated and lasy hashers shouting encouragements the whole time. The posterboard listing all of the hashing marathoners made an appearance again, including their expected times, splits, and estimated time to pass mile 23, conveniently located next to the beer. New this year was the spiffy Hudson Dusters sign, as well as a hash flag donated to the cause by Mr. I Feel Tower.
After the beer was consumed and the overachieving hashers went by, the group meandered its way over to the Gin Mill, where even more beer and food awaited the hungry pack, which was pasta, salad, and other wholesome food one step above the standard hash fare.
There were plenty of down-downs to go around, including:
The hares, naturally, for setting trail.
Dr. Steve, for being threatened with arrest for his graffiti in the park.
Marathoners, for being an overachieving group.
Fast American Dave, for deciding Boston just isn’t his style.
DB2, for providing subpar support.
Katie and Dana, for spilling food all over the place.
At some point the drinking marathon also crossed the finish line, and the crowd dispersed to nurse their sore muscles and sore livers.
On Out.