I’ve been running and racing for more than 30 years, so I recognize a good race course when I run one.

A good course should be a measured distance, well-marked, wide enough to accommodate participants, and without sharp turns or treacherously steep inclines. But I ignored all of these parameters when I set my first trail last week for the Pittsburgh Hash House Harriers.

I began by plotting a loop around my neighborhood. While most city hashes are run on streets, back alleys and through public grounds, my hash would take to the woods in rural South Butler County.

Before I began scouting a trail, I visited my neighbors to ask permission to bring a couple dozen raucous runners and walkers across their woodlots, fields and driveways. To each I recited a short history of the Hash House Harriers.

The Hash, “a drinking club with a running problem,” was founded in 1938 by British soldiers stationed in Malaysia. To occupy their spare time, the group held cross country fun runs based on an English game called Hare and Hounds in which one person, the hare, laid a trail with bits of paper while the rest, the hounds, tried to catch the hare. The runners then met back at the local tavern, the Hash House, for a post run social hour with drinking, singing and more drinking.

Today, Hash House Harriers’ kennels (local chapters) can be found in most cities worldwide. Locally, there are two kennels in Pittsburgh and one in Erie. Hash trails are typically between three and seven miles long depending on terrain and preference of the hare and include one or more beer stops along the trail.

Dues are minimal, but one of the requirements of membership is that each hasher takes a turn laying a trail for the group to follow. After running with the Pittsburgh Hash for five years and assisting on several hashes, I was ready to lay my first solo trail. I chose to run from my house because of the great trail access and the fact that no one had hashed there before.

I began scouting and mapping my September trail in July. That gave me plenty of time to observe, discover, run and revise. By August I had settled on an approximately five-mile route, long enough to provide a good workout for runners, but not too taxing for walkers. The first half included springing across inches-deep pine needles of a mature pine forest, a zig-zag across grassy fields and past my daughter’s art installation of concrete bird forms, a swamp crossing on a downed oak and a song stop at my mom’s house.

The second half featured a half-mile climb followed by a downhill bushwhack, a meander along an abandoned horse-coach road and views of a serene pond and a neighbor’s goat farm.

When I was satisfied with my true trail, I reran the route with an eye toward how I could add diversions. Unlike a race course, a hash trail includes many optional routes designed to keep the pack together. Front runners arrive at a check point, then search from a number of possible routes until someone finds “true trail.” That gives slower runners a chance to catch up.

When Hash Day arrived, I enlisted help from my friend and experienced hasher Dave to set the final trail by dropping flour blobs along the entire course including all check points and optional trails. Then we delivered cold beer and water and snacks of chips and cookies at two places in the woods because that’s the prize of the hash — finding beer.

Finally, the hashers arrived and it was time to run. It’s always a surprise to see how the group dynamic affects the trail. I was pleased that my flour marks were easy to follow, my checks worked to keep the pack together and everyone seemed to enjoy the journey. No one got lost and we had only minor injuries (mostly rose thorn scratches).

And as Dave reminded me, “No one remembers the big climbs or the muddy stream crossings if you have lots of cold beer at the finish.”

Upcoming events

Saturday, 8:30 a.m.: Peanut Butter Festival 5k, New Bethlehem. Also mountain bike race. 814-275-3929 or rlhrinda@yahoo.com

Saturday, 8:30 a.m.: Rockin the Knob Trail Challenge 5 Mile and 30k, Claysburg. Trail run at Blue Knob Four Seasons Resort. bmazur@intelmarx.com

Saturday, 8:30 a.m.: Liberty Mile, Pittsburgh. One mile timed street race. www.libertymile.org

Saturday, 9 a.m.: Stepping Forward for Down Syndrome 5k/1k/walk, Butler. Benefits Special Olympics. Special Olympics athletes run for free. 724-290-5244 or nsequiteSFFDS@gmail.com

Saturday, 9 a.m.: Race for Vocational Education 5k and ½ Mile Kids Run, Grove City. Run on Resource Center George Junior Republic campus. 724-458-9330 or sboland@georgejuniorrepublic.org

Saturday, noon: Dollar Bank Junior Great Race, Pittsburgh. Run at Point State Park for kids ages 12 and under. Rungreatrace.com

Sunday, 8 a.m.: Boston Harvest Half Marathon, 5k and 10k, Boston. Run on Yough River Rail Trail. 10k starts at 9 A.M., 5k at 9:15. teambrunazzi@gmail.com

Sunday, 9 a.m.: Elorapalooza Memorial 5k/ 1 Mile Run/ Lollygag, North Park. 412-608-2134 or elorashope.org

Sunday, 9 a.m.: Positive Steps 5k Run/Walk, Cranberry Township. Run at North Boundary Park. 724-444-5333 or maureen@positivestepstherapy.com

Sept. 24, 9 a.m.: President’s Wellness 5k Run/ 2k Walk, Slippery Rock. 724-738-2823 or brock.jensen@sru.edu

Sept. 24, 9 a.m.: United Way of Clarion County’s 5k/10k Race, Clarion. 814-226-8760 or clarionunitedway@verizon.net

Sept. 24, 9 a.m.: Race to End Hunger 5k and 2 Mile Walk and Kids Fun Run, Hermitage. Kids run starts at 8:45 A.M. 724-981-0353 or mprada@foodwarehouse.org

Sept. 24, 10 a.m.: PALS 5k Run/ Walk for Education, Saxonburg. Cross country run through scenic Saxony Farms. 724-352-1152 or deer@consolidated.net

Sept. 25, 8 a.m.: Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race 5k, Pittsburgh. Rungreatrace.com

Sept. 25, 9 a.m.: Butler Lions Club Scoot and Toot 5k, Butler. Starts at Alameda Park’s Carousel Shelter. 724-287-4059 or jbindernagel@theblindassociation.org

Sept. 25, 9:30 a.m.: Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race 10k, Pittsburgh. Rungreatrace.com

Oct. 1, 7:30 a.m.: JC Stone 50k Trail, North Park. Trail run. register.chronotrack.com/r/20433 or loudangelo@aol.com

Oct. 1, 9 a.m.: Crestfield 5k, Slippery Rock. 412-327-1598 or paul@crestfieldcc.org

Oct. 2, 8 a.m. Her Times 5k, Erie. Women’s race. Erierunners.club

Oct. 8, 9 a.m.: Freeport Girls Basketball 2nd Annual Halloween Hustle 5k, Freeport. Run on Butler Freeport Rail Trail. Freeporthalloweenhustle5k.weebly.com

Race results

Gatorade Steelers 5k, Sept. 5: Jed Christiansen, 1st Overall M, 14:47; Jennifer Bigham, 1st Overall W, 16:52; Mark Hunkele, 3rd 40-44 M, 18:16; Elizabeth Hunkele, 3rd 12- W, 20:48; Daniel Pollock, 2nd 40-44 M, 21:19; Angela Hunkele, 3rd 35-39 W, 22:06; Anthony Spalvieri, 3rd 11- M, 22:34; Jinny Hertweck, 2nd 40-44 W, 22:44; Bob Gracie, 3rd 65-69 M, 22:52; Cindy Suber, 3rd 55-59 W, 24:57; Jocelyn Shetter, 3rd 60-64 W, 25:44; Mark Golla, 19:13; Jocelyn Johnston, 20:20; Erica Camardese, 20:49; Tom Thompson, 21:14; Gerald Kosar, 21:52; Brian Croop, 22:22; Alexander Gongas, 22:30; Peter Carcaise, 22:32; Steve Smith, 22:57; Ryan Walker, 23:10; Tony Spalvieri, 23:22; Bill Snider, 23:31; Sophia Colonello, 23:34; Jacob Succop, 23:36; Ryan Wolf, 23:36; Ryan Smith, 23:41; Brady Hunkele, 23:43; Brandon Gold, 23:45; Sherri Fulton-Boring, 23:49; Katelyn Conn, 23:55; Jarod Stewart, 24:02; Wendy Wick, 24:10; Evan Sargo, 24:11; Alecia Kidder, 24:22; Meri Steinmetz, 24:23; Audrey Shandick, 24:27; Courtney Shandick, 24:27; Amanda Zacchia, 24:44; Katrina Smith, 24:58; David Guo, 25:06; Steve Mroch, 25:08; Traci Lukavich, 25:21; Leah Boyle, 25:28; Leah Domhoff, 25:33; Megan Kosar, 25:43; Thomas Shetter, 25:44; Ryan Doctor, 25:47; Dina Snider, 25:50; Bob Hudeck, 26:07; Lisa Book, 26:32; Colin Galey, 26:46; Patrick Hudeck, 26:47; Carrie Catalano, 27:09; Ryan Merrick, 27:19; Andrew Succop, 27:24; Amy Merrick, 27:34; Theresa PAckey, 27:49; Liam Connellan, 27:54; Jose Pineda, 28:06; Jim Klanica, 28:07; Alyssa Thrnton, 28:09; Kelly Mediate, 28:21; Jennifer Houda, 28:28; Amber Headley, 28:32; Chuck Headley, 28:34; Greg Shumaker, 28:38; Daniel Christo, 28:42; Karen Shumaker, 28:45; Korey Helfer, 28:51; Hermanth Kapoor, 29:05; Beth Whitehouse, 29:14; Jessica Jones, 29:17; Jason Anderson, 29:21; Alisha Anderson, 29:21; Robert Whitehouse, 29:24; Amy Kirkham, 29:24; Bill Hohman, 29:24; Diana Besoiu, 29:32; Amanda Follett, 29:33; Adam Ward, 29:34; Lauren Hopkins, 29:34; Robert Naida, 29:56; Debra Kuminkoski, 30:03; Sharon Barlow, 30:11; Michelle Weston, 30:12; Regiane Morgieta, 30:40; Matt Buchwald, 30:45; Steve Chen, 30:53; Troy Stiffler, 31:03; Cynthia Rosequist, 31:24; Raquel Karns, 31:32; Vickie Turner, 31:40; Robin Trinko, 31:48; Klavin Boyd, 31:50; Chase Reaves, 31:51; Cecelia Ottenweller, 31:53; Shawna Green, 31:55; Denise Melnik, 31:59; Caitlin Collins, 32:02; Jennifer Wimer, 32:43; John Ropelewski, 32:55; Jaime Foose, 33:44; Laura White, 34:11; Natalie Merrick, 34:40; Cathy Anderson, 34:58; Mark Beers, 35:36; Michelle Clark, 36:17; Jacqlyn Boggs, 36:32; Edward Barlow, 37:06; Julie Stiffler, 37:32; Megan Beers, 38:05; Monica Hohman, 39:23; Iman Shahab, 39:48; Tom Turner, 40:14; Leslie Naida, 41:00; Devin Latsko, 41:33; Michael Latsko, 41:33; Donna Latsko, 41:35; Kristie Helfer, 43:11; JesseAllem, 43:38; Taylor Helfer, 43:39; Amy Buchwald, 43:50; James Duchak, 44:49; Rosemary Taddeo, 45:51; Timothy Taddeo, 46:02; Glenn Woods, 47:11; Naomi Roy, 48:01; Tina Roth, 48:03; Sylvia Wack, 48:11; Jim McCoy, 48:55; Madelynn Connellan, 50:07; Michelle Connellan, 50:12; Kate Klanica, 51:53; Dave Merrick, 52:32; Joyce Stewart, 53:05; Linda Zacchia, 53:29; Joshua Helfer, 53:52; Grace Chen, 53:54; Tamara Guo, 53:55; Tracey Fisher, 54:52; Gwen Matson, 54:53; Konrad Kammerer, 54:53; Conni Miller, 55:34; Emily Merrick, 55:49; Mary Hidinger, 57:41; Lindsey Cortese, 1:03:00; Michael Cortese, 1:03:01; Paul Sargo, 1:03:01; Cindy Sargo, 1:03:03

Send comments and suggestions: Patricia Neubert, 435 Cherry Valley Rd., Saxonburg, PA. 16056. Phone 724-352-4395. E-mail lotzak@consolidated.net.

Pat Neubert is a running columnist for the Butler Eagle.