Flour trail no half-baked trek

The four- to six-mile annual Freezing Cold Hash Run will take place Jan. 7, 10:17 a.m., beginning at the Ken Vercammen Law Office in Edison.

By: Kara Fitzpatrick
   The comedy that is the annual Freezing Cold Hash Run is reflected rather befittingly on paper.
   "If you get lost, stay on the trail," advises a flier for the eighth annual sporting event.
   Another announcement warns potential participants: "You may encounter the following hazards to slow you down: wild dogs, rabid raccoons, rats, marshes, swamp gas, sticker bushes, potential exercise, parts of trail underwater, destruction of running shoes and clothes from dirt, loud men over 50, secret trails and more."
   The hash run, a four- to six-mile jaunt that will take place on Jan. 7 beginning at the Ken Vercammen Law Office in Edison, is a noncompetitive race that follows an off-road course laid out with baking flour, explained Mr. Vercammen, a South Brunswick resident. The course runs through woods, grass, swamp and marsh, he added.
   The concept of hashing — running on floured courses — was invented decades ago by a group of British soldiers stationed in Burma, according to Mr. Vercammen. It is now a favorite activity of various hash house harrier groups worldwide. This particular race is offered by the Rumson Hash House Harriers.
   It’s not simply the risk of slipping on a granulated course that attracts those looking for a new way to spend their Saturday mornings.
   Hashing "is supposed to be a fun event," Mr. Vercammen said. "Every weekend, someone in Central Jersey organizes a hash run, I usually pick the first Sunday in January after New Year’s to do mine."
   In hashing, one’s map is the flour.
   Although Mr. Vercammen knows the path the race will follow (after all, someone has to lay the trademark flour) others will not — which, he said, is part of the fun. "You don’t let anyone know ahead of time," he said.
   Since the terrain of the race is off-road, one of the benefits of hashing is the glimpse it offers into New Jersey’s untapped areas, Mr. Vercammen said.
   "You’re seeing part of the state that hasn’t been run over and developed," he said.
   Mr. Vercammen, who also participates in competitive running races, is an assistant coach of his child’s soccer team, so he admits he does not trek through trails trimmed with flour every weekend. However, due to the amusement the sport provides, he said, he does his share of hashing. "It’s not the pressure of a race," he said of why he enjoys the activity.
   Although the Freezing Cold Hash Run is intended to be a noncompetitive race, Mr. Vercammen warned that very inexperienced runners might find themselves in an uncomfortable situation if they attempt the sport.
   "If you haven’t run a mile since high school, I wouldn’t recommend you start with this," he said.
   Runners must be at least 21 years old to participate. The race begins at 10:17 a.m. at Mr. Vercammen’s law office, 2053 Woodbridge Ave., Edison.
   There is no fee to run, but a post race social to be held at The Green Derby Bar is $5. Women ages 21 to 69 are free. For more information, call Mr. Vercammen at (732) 572-0500 or go to www.njlaws.com/FREEZING_COLD_HASH_RUN.htm.