Coming Up: Red Dress Run
If you like the color red, alcohol, and…thinking about running, New Orleans has the event for you!
Hosted by the New Orleans Hash House Harriers, a “drinking club with a running problem”, the Red Dress Run will occur on August 10th, and it’s easy to participate. Sign up at their website (the entry fee goes to charity), put on your best head-to-toe red, grab a beer, and start running (or walking).
Origins
The Hash House Harriers is an international organization designed to promote exercise, eliminate hangovers, and build camaraderie. It began nearly a century ago in Malaysia, but spread quickly due to the fun activities they participate in. The Red Dress Run originated accidentally – a woman in San Diego saw the club running and wanted to join them, despite the fact she was not in typical exercise attire. Instead, she ran in her red sundress. By the following year, more had embraced her carefree spirit and red dresses became commonplace. A member of the NOLA Hash House Harriers brought the tradition to New Orleans in 1995 and it’s been a popular event ever since.
The Run
The entry fee may seem steep at $65 to $70 but the money goes to a good cause, and it includes all the drinks and food a runner could want, as well as admittance to the Bourbon Street after-party with live music. The route is two miles long, so pace yourself if you’re new – it’s not about finishing first, but having a good time while getting some good exercise. If you don’t want to run, it’s still great fun to observe, as the Red Dress Run encourages community and friendship – who can be unhappy when surrounded by men and women in cherry red dresses and beers in their hand?