Wear a Red Dress While Running on Sunday

About 15 to 30 people wearing red dresses will run through Northborough on Sunday.

The Northborough Food Pantry and other local charities ultimately will win.

The Northboro Hash House Harriers running club's third annual Red Dress Run is from 2 to 6 p.m., and starts and ends at Zem Han, 4 West Main St.

The cost of the event -- which is open only to adults over 21 -- is $20, which includes tickets for beers at each stop.

Part of the food and drink proceeds will be donated to local charities.

Last year's Northboro run raised $400 for the Northborough Food Pantry, club founder Al Del Re said Friday.

A red dress is mandatory running attire, part of the Red Dress Run tradition, he noted.

The Red Dress Run was started by a Hash House Harriers running club in San Diego, Calif., Del Re said.

A San Diego club member whose harrier code name is Lady in Red inspired the run, he said.

"She earned that name because she was invited to attend one of these runs, and not being an active runner, she got the idea the event was more about drinking beer and fooling around. And she showed up in a red dress to the start of this run," Del Re said.

"Everybody mocked her for doing that, but she ran the trail anyway. And then, the following event, when they got together again, she was shocked to see that everyone -- men and women -- were wearing red dresses to make fun of her. And she was dressed in running gear.

"They decided in San Diego to make it an annual tradition. And it became very successful."

Hash House Harriers runs -- not races -- consist of a lead runner marking a path, and adding obstacles to it, for the other runners, Del Re said.

The first club started in 1936, and there are now 1,400 clubs worldwide, he said.
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The local club has 200 Facebook members, and draw 15 to 39 for each of its runs, which happen at least monthly, he said. The club has done about 40 runs since forming three-and-a-half years ago.