Marks are made in chalk, flour or some other medium, depending on terrain and weather. The Hares for each Run decide how to mark the trail. A balance between sparse use and keeping everyone informed should be maintained. All marks should be clearly visible at key points to avoid anyone getting lost or misinterpreting the trail.

 

OPEN CHECK

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If there are no direction arrows added on, this mark means the pack needs to look in all directions to find the trail. When setting the trail, the Hares choose false trails and place markings (flour blobs or arrows) within 100m of the check mark. The first mark on the trail is ON-ONE, the second mark is ON-TWO, the third mark must either be ON-ON! (true trail) or FALSE TRAIL -an FT (false trail on hard surfaces) or three lines (false trail on terrain).. Important: there can never be a second check in a check. There must first be a true trail mark to close the check before Hares can make a new check.

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Once the trail has been found (ON-ON! from someone checking), the true trail direction should be drawn onto the check circle by front-running Hashers using colored chalk that the Hares pass out before the Run. The key to good checking is vocal communication both ways. Those gathered at the check whilst others are checking will be keen to know of progress. A shout of ARE YOU? should elicit the response of CHECKING from those checking out the trail. It may be worth sending another Hasher up to relay messages back from the front Runners who are checking. After a Check, the count of flour blobs should be relayed back as they are discovered – ON-ONE, ON-TWO, followed by FALSE TRAIL or ON-ON.
If you hear ON-ON!, that's the direction to go. If you hear FALSE TRAIL, it isn't!

检查图标-如果没有方向箭头在上面，那这个标志的意思就是这组跑步者需要四处查看寻找路线。在遇到检查图标以后，跑步者会看到兔子制造的错误的路线，兔子会在每隔100米处留下标志（用面粉做的斑点或者箭头）。第一个标志为ON ONE, 第二个标志为ON TWO, 第三个标志为ON-ON!（意思为正确路线）或者是一个用粉笔画在比较硬的表面上的FT标志（意思为错误路线）或用面粉画在地面上的三条线（意思为错误路线）。 重要提示：兔子不能在一个检查图标之后再紧接着放置另一个检查图标。只有在正确路线ON-ON!之后才能出现新的检查图标。
 

CLOSED CHECK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you see these marks inside the check it shows that 4 directions need to be checked (or as many as indicated).  If you just have the Open Check circle, it means that all directions need to be checked. Additionally, you will sometimes see arrows leading out of your check circle to show the check directions hashers should investigate to find the trail.

 

FALSE TRAIL

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You will see three lines (or the letters FT) in flour to show false trail on grass, dirt or other rough terrain. If you are on a hard surface, you might see the letters FT. If Hashers do not see any marks in a given direction after a check, they will assume that they are on a false trail. It is a courtesy to fellow Hashers and considered good marking for the Hares to end all False Trails with the FT or 3-line mark. Note that there can even be a false trail mark after a ON-ONE mark, it needn’t be only after ON-TWO, but because the purpose of checks is to slow down the FRB’s in the group and keep the pack together, having two marks and an FT from each check ensures that the FRBs run an extra 300 meters per check direction, so it is well worth it for Hares to invest the extra time in developing False Trails when they are setting the trail.

错误路线标志——可以用面粉在草地、泥土或者其它比较粗糙的表面上画三条线，表示错误路线。 如果你是在比较硬的表面上，可以画FT. 如果跑步者在一个检查图标之后没看到任何标志，那就意味着他们走错了。出于对跑步者的礼貌，应画一个FT 或三条线标志告知跑步者他们走错了。 注意你也可以在ON ONE标志之后就画一个错误路线标志，不一定是在ON-TWO标志之后才可以画。 但是因为设置检查图标的目的就是为了减慢哪些跑的快的人的速度，而每两个标志和一个FT就可以使他们多跑300米，所以是值得花时间来做这些的。
3. 检查图标-如果你在图标之内画了线条或箭头，那就意味着只有所标出的方向需要检查。（如果你只是画了个圈，那就意味着所有的方向都要检查。）

 

HOLDING CHECK

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A Holding Check is a special check that requires everyone to wait until either a Hare or the RA or GM gives the signal to proceed. Holding Checks can be very boring for fast front runners, so they are generally used sparingly.

 

BEER NEAR CHECK

 

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This check mark shows that there is a beer stop nearby (within a 400 meter radius). When Hashers see this, they need to stop and look for the Beer Stop. At the beer stop, each hasher needs to stop and have a drink/relax etc. until the Hares give the signal to move on. Note that leaving the Beer Stop before the signal is given is a down-down-able offense. 

*Note that traditionally the BN check must be used in its abbreviated form, as many hashes have the tradition of using it in its long form to signify the end of the Run is near. 

 

TITTY CHECK

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This is a special check that requires all the men to wait while the female Hashers in the pack look for the trail, find True Trail and give the ON-ON   ! signal to proceed.

 

ON-ON!

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Hashers shout ON-ON! when they are on True Trail. Hares use the markings ON-ON! anytime they want the Hashers to know they are on the right trail. This means that after a Check, ON-ONE and then ON-TWO, the markings ON-ON! or an arrow mark or a flour mark all have the same meaning; i.e. this is the correct trail.  For this reason, the marking ON-ON! will never be used after a check if the Hares are planning a false trail.

 

FLOUR BLOB / HASH MARK

 

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A flour blob is a standard Hash mark most often used on rough terrain or in place of chalk arrows on hard surfaces. It can mean ON-ONE and then ON-TWO, and the third blob will mean ON-ON! or True Trail. A third flour blob or a Hash Arrow mark (with the "h" tail) or a standard arrow that comes after two flour blobs or other hash marks all have the same meaning; i.e. this is the correct trail

 

ARROW

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A standard arrow has the function of both showing direction and acting as a Hash mark. It is often used instead of flour blobs on hard surfaces.

Arrows after a check: If there is a check and you see this arrow after it, it is ON ONE. A second arrow is ON TWO and a third arrow is ON-ON! When setting the trail, Hares can use any combination of Hash marks to show the Hashers they are On Trail, or as ON ONE or ON TWO after a Check. or Flour Blob or other hash mark).

 

ARROW showing direction

 

 

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This is the same as the arrow above and is equal to a standard flour blob.  It can show any direction, and Hashers need to follow to way it is pointing.

 

HASH ARROW with an h-tail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every Hash has its own markings, but in Suzhou H3 if you use this mark it is equal to ON-ON! It means that this is True Trail. This Hash Arrow can show any direction. This mark (unlike a normal ‘tail-less’ arrow) cannot be used as a mark if the Hares are setting a false trail after a check.

 

****Note that the words ON-ON! = a Hash Arrow with an ‘h’ tail. Unless otherwise designated by the Hares for a given Run, use of these marks mean that the Hashers are on true trail. 

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ARROW showing a trail split = both directions are good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the same as the arrow above and is equal to a standard flour blob. However, this arrow will normally also have a “Snail” and ‘Runners’ mark added on to show a long and short trail split. If you see this mark, you know that both directions are good. This arrow is also counted as a standard Hash mark.
That means if it a trail split arrow is used after a check, it will mean ON-ONE or ON-TWO or ON-ON! depending on its placement.

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SONG STOP

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This mark means that all Hashers need to stop and sing a song before continuing on. It works best as a type of holding mark when the Mark has a note specifying that a certain number of Hashers need to be together for the song. The Hashers who arrive first have to wait a moment for the required number of Hashers to show up before the song can start. (4 to 6 is usually a good number, but this depends on how large your group is and how spread out your group normally gets).

 

ON-IN!

 

This mark notifies the pack that the trail will soon end (within less than 400 meters) and that there are no more checks and trail splits. The written out form of BEER NEAR indicates the same thing. (Not to be confused with BN which means only that there is a beer stop nearby).

ON HOME!

 

This mark shows that the end of the Run has been reached (and there should be beer nearJ)

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Chalk Talk:
 

Before the Run, the Hares will explain all marks they are using in the Run, put example marks down and explain any special variations and additions they have prepared for the Run.  Special care will be taken to explain anything that is not standard procedure  or a variation of standard marking for Suzhou Hash (as shown above).  They will also pass out colored chalk and remind all FRBs and runners who break a Check by finding True Trail to go back to the check mark chalk to mark the right way using different-colored (That way Hashers can tell which marks were made by the Hares and which by their fellow Hashers). Hares generally use the white chalk and reserve colored chalk for the pack to make marks with

Marking the checks is extremely important for keeping the group together and allowing  them finish together. If checks are not marked by the front runners, the slower runners will have to do all the checks again, thus putting them even further behind.

 

Sweeper or Tail End Charlie:

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The Hares try to always have one Hare act as sweeper for the Runners and one sweeper for the Snails to make sure nobody gets lost.  If necessary, the Hares will ask another experienced Hasher from the Pack to act as Sweeper for a specific group of Hashers.