Running Wild in London
CONWAY, Ark. (June 16, 2008) – Hendrix College senior Mallory Bader did not want to get out of shape just because she was out of the country. During a study-abroad semester in Italy last fall, the long-time runner Googled “running club, Milan,” seeking to find some companionship for the long runs she enjoys. The club she found, the promised to cater to the fit, the un-fit and the misfits alike.
Bader, who is a member of the cross country and track teams at Hendrix, certainly belongs in the “fit” category, but she runs mostly for pleasure now. After discovering the Milanese Hash Harriers on the web, she delved deeper and found the London-based Thames Hares and Hounds, the oldest cross-country running club in the world.
“I’ve been a runner for, like, ever,” the Memphis native said. “At one time I was competitive, but now I just enjoy the company. It’s interesting to see how the two groups formed from the two ideas. The Thames Hares and Hounds are really good, whereas the Hash Harriers are more accepting of everybody.”
This summer Bader explored her passion for cross country with a 12-day research trip to London, allowing her to visit the London chapters of each club. She interviewed current members and took note of the clubs’ history and traditions.
The trip was sponsored and partially funded by the Hendrix Odyssey program, a curricular program that offers funding and credit for experiential learning projects at home and abroad. Her project, The Road Less Run: An Examination of the Social and Competitive Side of Running throughout History, was advised by the Hendrix cross country coach, Patrick MacDonald.
The Hash Harriers have a prodigious history, beginning humbly in 1938 within the British expatriate community in Malaysia. The original Kuala Lumpur club has spawned thousands of off-shoots, including almost 500 within the United States. There are four clubs in London, of which Bader visited three.
“Each club had a slightly different aspect,” Bader said. “Some were more based in the tradition, and others were more geared toward the younger crowd, having fun and meeting at the pub.”
The Hash Harriers are characterized as a social club of runners, rather than a true running club. In most cities, the Hashers meet and end their runs at a pub or bar, which has led to their portrayal as “a drinking club with a running problem.”
A lead runner, called the Hare, leaves the pub early to drop a trail of flour or chalk powder (the “scent”) for the Harriers to follow through the urban sprawl. At some points the trail disappears for 100 yards or so, and the pack must fan out to discover the new lead. The breaks in the trail, as well as the start-and-stop nature of running in a city, waiting for traffic lights to change, allows the club to appeal to runners of many different levels.
“If you’re not fast, there’s plenty of time to stop and walk,” Bader said.
The Thames Hares and Hounds, on the other hand, take their running much more seriously. Their club began in 1867 as a way for the Thames Rowing Club to train. Although the Hares and Hounds have low-key training runs that everyone is invited to attend, their quicker pace inherently excludes more casual runners.
Bader observed the Hares and Hounds’ annual relay race in London’s Richmond Park, which she said was similar to the cross country events she has run in America. Clubs from across England had gathered to compete, and their results were impressive: most runners completed their three-mile segments in 16 or 17 minutes.
Now back in the States, Bader will write a report about her experiences. While abroad, she carried a small notebook with her to jot down observations and record interviews. Her participant observation and interviewing techniques were inspired by the Ethnographic Methods class she took last year.
Bader is an anthropology and environmental studies double major, but the experience was more than an academic exercise for her.
“I’ll remember the trip forever in the sense that, being a competitive runner for so long, I was kind of burned out on it,” Bader said. “But then I saw 60- and 70-year-olds with the Hash Harriers, just running because they enjoy it. It was nice to see that running still can be fun and it’s something that people can do for their entire lives.”
“Your Hendrix Odyssey: Engaging in Active Learning” is a major component of the Hendrix curriculum. The philosophy is, “You learn more when you do more.” Each student is required to complete three Odyssey experiences selected from six categories: artistic creativity, global awareness, professional and leadership development, service to the world, undergraduate research, and special projects. Bader’s trip was a Special Project.
Hendrix, founded in 1876, is a selective, residential, undergraduate liberal arts college emphasizing experiential learning in a demanding yet supportive environment. The college is among 165 colleges featured in the 2008 edition of the Princeton Review America’s Best Value Colleges. Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. For more information, contact Mark Scott at scottm@hendrix.edu or 501-450-1462.
