The Hash House Harriers (abbreviated to HHH or H3) is an international group of non-competitive running, walking and drinking clubs.

Hashing originated 1938 in Kuala Lumper then in the Federated States (now Malaysia) when a group of British colonial officers and expatriates began meeting on Monday evenings to run, in a fashion patterned after the traditional British paperchase or “Hare and Hounds” to rid themselves of the excesses of the previous weekend.

After meeting for some months they were informed by the registrar of societies that as a group they would require a constitution and an official name.

A.S. Gispert suggested the name ‘Hash House Harriers’ after The Selangor Club Annex ,where the men where billeted, known as the ‘Hash House’ for its notoriously monotonous food.

Apart from the excitement of chasing the hare and finding the trail, Harriers reaching the end of the trail would be rewarded with beer and cigarettes .

At a hash one or more members (hares) lay a trail, which is then followed by the remainder of the group (the pack or hounds).

The trail periodically ends at a ‘check’ and the pack must find where it begins again, often trail includes false trails, shortcuts, dead ends, back checks and spots. These features are designed to keep the pack together regardless of fitness or age. At the last check, a run-in to the finish, a beer and a rest.