I read about Hashing in the RedEye on Tuesday. It intrigued me, because I've recently begun an intensive exercise program to lose my Chicago weight by my birthday, which conveniently falls right before bikini weather. (Chicago weight = weight gained after moving to Chicago because eating your way through the city is a requirement.)

I'd never heard of hashing before. Basically a "Hare" draws a route with a piece of chalk, and the "Hounds" follow that route. So what, you may say, sounds like just another running club. Nope - this running club involves beer. Lots of beer. Dubbed a beer-drinking club with a running problem, it was originated by some Englishmen in 1937 (the beer should have been my first clue that Brits were involved).

Besides drinking beer, the harriers also have rituals and nickname participants. The nicknames are usually bawdy in nature. If you can't laugh at yourself, then this probably isn't for you.

The piece in the RedEye intrigued me enough to do my own search for a Chicago group. In their thorough reporting fashion, RedEye failed to provide a sidebar with information on local groups. So, I found the Chicago Hash House Harriers. This intrepid band of imbibers runs every Sunday at 3 from October through April and Mondays at 7pm from May through September.