Cock Radio, on the Couch, with the GM, Astronut.

G’dday mate, welcome to the Couch.

Thanks. I hope this will be recorded truthfully and not be in violation of any Hash le majeste laws?

Come on mate, you know me, Honest is my middle name!

I thought it was clumsy?

When did you first join the Hash?

My first hash was in Kuala Belait (Brunei) in October 1977. My first hash in Singapore was with HHH Singapore in 1978 and I first hashed with Lion City H3 in mid-1988.

How did you get your name?

My parents gave it to me.

Umm, no, I don’t mean Glenn, I mean….

Oh, you mean my hash name, Astronut? I believe Coo Chi Coo gave it to me in 1989. Post-run I used to wear a silver-coloured track suit. CCC commented it looked like an astronaut’s suit and I must be a nut to wear something like that in a place as hot as Singapore. Hence Astronut.

By the way I have two other hash names. My first one was Princeton Flyer and my second was Colonel Sanders. I’ll save those stories for another time.

Do you have a memorable moment?

In thirty-plus years of hashing, I have several.

I remember thinking hashers and hashing was crazy on my first hash in Brunei. It was a very long run. We ran through lots of water and mud with oil seeping out of the ground and finished with a swim across a flooded river where I came face-to-face with a dead dog. Fortunately there was a good crowd (though males only), plenty of beer and a nice beach-side barbecue at the end. I was counselled that this was not a normal run and I should at least try 3 hashes before saying “no” to hashing.

In the mid-80s I recall a ball-breaker run at a UK Nash Hash in Berkshire in scorching weather. We were put on a bus at about 10 a.m., taken for a 40 minute ride and told to run back to the run site. Afterwards we were told the run was literally a marathon (26 miles). It was through pleasant forest and country roads. There were no drink stops and the trail was poorly-marked. I had no clue where I was or how to get back. Thankfully I was very fit and managed to follow some “locals” who professed to know how to get back. By the time we returned all the other runs and circles had finished and everybody was pissed. I was exhausted and needed to sit in an air conditioned car for a while before thinking about having a beer. Eventually I did the right thing and had a beer or two (or more).

In the early 90s I remember a run from Bob Ashman’s (Gecko) house when he lived at King Albert Park. I broke a big toe on a root of a large tree somewhere around Rifle Range Road and could barely walk so I jumped into the back of a passing lorry to get near Gecko’s place. On-site Dr. Sorinder Singh (Death Wish IV) confirmed it was broken and said there was not much to do except tape it and have a beer. Under Doctor’s orders I had quite a few then went OnOnOn for dancing at Anywhere at Tanglin Shopping Center until about 3 in the morning. By the time I got to Gleneagles Hospital about 11 a.m. my foot was the size of a football.

More recently I got stuck in the jungle on an American Independence Day Monday run from the end of Chestnut Avenue, when I refused out of principle to do a second swim (only 300m!) which was followed by a third. I turned back and accidentally ran past the first swim crossing and got stuck in 2m high grass and reeds. I found a fallen tree and had resigned myself to spending the night in the bush. After they had finished all the beer, one of the hares (Joe Wendell) and a volunteer (Trevor Seaman) “rescued” me at about midnight. It took us about 30 minutes with a machete and torch to travel 100m back onto the trail and another 30 minutes to get back to the cars. I rewarded each of them with a case of Heineken.        

Good stories mate, although I find the part about scorching weather in the UK a bit hard to believe! What about your Favourite Run site?

I like a combination of trails, dirt roads, bush, shiggy, hills and little tarmac and built-up areas. Hence I like places such as the end of Track 7 Mandai Road and Lorong Lada Hitam

What do you like about the Hash?

The runs, draft beer and camaraderie with people from diverse backgrounds

What do you dislike?

Politics and taking the hash too seriously

Funny how that answer comes up a lot! Best ON On

There have been so many over the years. I generally like places with good food, friendly staff, lots of cold beer and where the owners will put up with singing. I appreciate hares’ efforts to do something a bit different from the good and reliable Red Lantern.   

I hope you appreciated my effort in the Heartlands of Sembawang the other month then. Anyone you particularly admire on the Hash?

There are several I admire who make an extra effort to “give back” to the hash. They readily volunteer to be a hare, whip or are active in committee work. This is what I call the hash hardcore. Unfortunately many members think all they have to do is pay their subs, turn up and enjoy. Without the efforts of the hardcore the hash would not be as enjoyable. Have a look at a list of repeat committee members for those I admire most. 

On the Hash you should………

Check and call when you’re on paper. Be welcoming to newcomers. Thank the hares for their efforts.

Any food you would not eat?

Intestines, chickens’ feet, sea cucumber, sharks’ fin…

What is your favourite run of all time?

I don’t have an all-time favourite. I like runs of about 60 – 75 minutes with the attributes mentioned earlier (trails, bush, shiggy, hills, etc.). On LCH3 we generally get about half a dozen excellent runs every year.

You are married?

Yes, to Poser (Anne)

Children?

1 step-son (Jason) and 2 daughters (Laura & Megan). Only Laura (Sucker) is a keen runner and hasher.

Could you improve the Hash?

I’d like to see more new members (and younger ones) to ensure the hash perpetuates itself.  While we should maintain some traditions, we need the hash to evolve with the majority of members’ wishes.

What changes have you noticed at the Hash over the years?

We’ve become much more refined and fussy, but better informed.

In my early hashing days it was not unusual to wear the same clothes one hashed in to the OnOn and OnOnOn. Putting on a clean or new t-shirts was a luxury. However I now favour a complete change of clothes and portable showers with hot water!

There’s too much talk about quality of food. How can we reasonably expect to get gourmet food at the hash for $12 per person?

Though we’ve lost a lot of great hashing terrain to so-called development, I think a lot of hares do not put in as much effort as before in thinking about their trails, checks and how the pack will respond.

Communication is much better and efficient with computers, emailed newsletters and websites. No more cutting, pasting and photocopying to create newsletters and last-minute frantic calls to hotline numbers to discover the hash run site.   

Any words of wisdom to leave us with?

Treat others as you would like to be treated.

Finally, do you follow Boo?

On occasion. He seems to know every nook and cranny of Singapore which comes in useful when a hare’s trail has seemingly gone astray (or when one is looking for a shortcut).

Thanks mate for a very interesting chat.

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