What Is the Rideau Hash House Harriers and How Do I Join a Run in Ottawa?

The Rideau Hash House Harriers (RHHH) is a casual running and social group in Ottawa, Ontario, founded on 26 July 2012. It runs at 7 pm on the second Thursday of every month, regardless of weather, in Ottawa's downtown or central core — the area bounded by the Rideau River and the Rideau Canal. To join a run, check the group's Upcoming Run Schedule page for the next date and location, then simply show up; first-timers ("virgin hashers") are explicitly part of the group's history, since its very first run included one.

What "Hash" and "Hash House Harriers" mean

A Hash House Harriers group is a loosely organized running club with a strong social component. The well-known Hash motto is "a drinking club with a running problem," which describes the mix of a group run followed by socializing. RHHH states it strongly encourages responsible drinking, so the drinking-club label is a cultural reference rather than a requirement to drink.

The group's own description of the culture, quoting Stray Dog in the Global Trash Hash Bible, frames hashing as "a state of mind — a friendship of kindred spirits joined together for the sole purpose of reliving their childhood or fraternity days, releasing the tensions of everyday life, and generally, acting a fool amongst others who will not judge you or measure you by anything more than your sense of humor." In practice, that means the emphasis is on showing up, running (or walking) with the group, and socializing — not on pace or performance.

How RHHH relates to the Ottawa Hash House Harriers

RHHH is an offshoot of the Ottawa Hash House Harriers (OH3). According to the group's history:

• Enough participation existed at OH3 to support a second regular hash group in Ottawa.
• The first mis-management meeting was held on 24 July 2012.
• The first run followed on 26 July 2012, with 18 participants, including one virgin hasher.
• The "Rideau" name comes from the group's chosen territory: runs in the downtown/central core of Ottawa within the Rideau River and Rideau Canal area.

So if you are choosing between Ottawa hash groups, RHHH is the centrally focused, once-a-month option, while OH3 is the older group it branched from.

Run schedule and format at a glance

Because the specific meeting point can change from run to run, the schedule page is the authoritative source for where to go on a given date.

How to join your first run

1. Check the Upcoming Run Schedule. The site's "Upcoming Run Schedule" page lists current and future runs. Use it to confirm the date, time, and location of the next run before you go.
2. Show up at 7 pm on the second Thursday. Runs take place regardless of weather, so dress for the conditions.
3. Expect to be a "virgin hasher." RHHH's history shows first-timers are a normal part of a run — the very first RHHH run had one. You do not need prior hashing experience.
4. Plan for the social side. The format is a group run followed by socializing, in line with the Hash tradition. RHHH encourages responsible drinking, so participation in any drinking is a personal choice.
5. Use the site's contact route for questions. The site lists a "Contact" page and a "Mismanagement Committee" (the group's playful term for its organizers). If the schedule does not answer your question, that is where to direct it.

Common questions before your first run

Do I need to be a fast runner? Nothing in the group's description suggests pace requirements. The stated culture is about humor and camaraderie rather than measurement — "acting a fool amongst others who will not judge you or measure you by anything more than your sense of humor."

What if I don't drink? The "drinking club with a running problem" line is the broader Hash motto, but RHHH specifically says it strongly encourages responsible drinking. The run and the socializing are the core activities.

How do I know where the run starts? The location is in Ottawa's downtown/central core, but the exact meeting point is set per run. The Upcoming Run Schedule is the page to check.

Who organizes it? The Mismanagement Committee — RHHH's own name for its organizers. The site also documents the Inaugural Run and the Original Mismanagement Committee for background.

Is there a fee or membership requirement? The site content provided does not state pricing, membership fees, or login requirements, so none should be assumed. Check the site's own pages or contact the Mismanagement Committee for anything cost-related.