RECREATION: Hash House Harriers 

For many of us, exercise can require some — or, let's be honest, a great deal — of motivation. Flour City Hash House Harriers, also known as "HHH," "H3," or "The Hash," seems to have the motivation factor down to a science. The local branch of this worldwide club describes itself as "a drinking club with a running problem." Originally started in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1938 as a running club comprised of British colonial officials and expatriates, HHH conducts group runs through local parks and wooded areas that culminate in a post-run celebration at a local pub or drinking venue.

As unusual as the schedule of this club's activities may seem, the run portion of meetings are not customary either. A Hash run includes a running trail unknown to members that is marked in advance, usually by flour, chalk, or even toilet paper, by one member of the group dubbed the "hare." Members run through the woods, searching for trail markings, then conduct "down-downs" time afterward by sipping a cold beer. Once participants have attended several runs, they are designated a "hash name," which typically has an embarrassing or filthy connotation.

If this sounds like your kind of exercise, check out what The Hash is all about on Sundays throughout the winter. Runs begin at 2:09 p.m. and average three miles. Anyone over 21 is welcome, and visitors to H3's website are assured that there are plenty of opportunities for walking breaks if you need a breather. For more information about this week's run, call 234-1708 or visit rochesterhhh.com/2.html.