The Hodson Runs were instituted by Major the Reverend G.D. Barne, 4th Principal of Sanawar in 1916. Over the years, these long distance runs became important annual events in the School sporting calendar and a feature of School life that continues to this day. In addition to the regular, inter-house runs which became part of the Annual Inter-house Athletics Competition, an "open" version of the Long Hodson Run took place several times a year. It became a very popular event and many teams, each of 8 runners from the surrounding districts competed. The Garrison at Kasauli regularly produced six teams every year, Dagshai five and Sabathu also five, two of which were from the Gurkha battalion stationed there. Sanawar itself boasted as many as four teams: LRMS (Boys), LRMS Staff, Squire's Hall Harriers, (Batchelor teachers) and the Mandi Harriers (School Coolies). Here is a transcription of the hand-written Order that started it all off:

"A new feature of Founder's Week this year, (1916) will be 3 long distance runs. These will be called after Hodson, who was a famous long distance runner when he was at Rugby School. They will be known as

"the little Hodson"
"the short Hodson" and
"the long Hodson".

"The Little Hodson" for boys under 12 only. The winner will receive a bronze medal and 10 marks for his house. The second will receive a prize and 5 marks for his house. The third will receive a prize and 2 marks for his house. Any boy coming in within 2 minutes of the winner will receive 2 marks for his house.

"The Short Hodson" for boys under 15 only. The winner will receive a bronze medal and 15 marks for his house. The second will receive a prize and 10 marks for his house. The third will receive a prize and 5 marks for his house. Any boy coming in within 2 minutes of the winner will receive 3 marks for his house.

"The Long Hodson". Open. The winner will receive a bronze^* medal and 25 marks for his house. The second will receive a prize and 15 marks for his house. The third will receive a prize and 10 marks for his house. Any boy coming in within 5 minutes of the winner will receive 5 marks for his house. (From the point of view of counting towards the championship silver medal for Athletics, this event will count only as one of the other open events in the sports).

^* Prizes for the Long Hodson (Open) event were revised shortly after the end of WW1. Thereafter and until September 1939, (see below), the Winner received a silver medal and a bronze medal was awarded to the runner up. There were no changes to the junior events, and for all three runs, the number of points gained for the annual inter-house Athletics competitions remained the same. ed.

All 3 "Hodsons" will finish through the Archway near the entrance to the Boy's School. ("The Lawrence Arch"), The courses will be as follows:

"Little Hodson" start at Boy's School: go up to the Chapel: round to right in direction of the Principal's office: sharp to left ["Nicholson's Corner" ed.] in direction of Girl's School: "short-back-way" round Head Master's house and so home.   [1mi 459yd ed.].

"Short Hodson" start at Boy's school: halfway up to Chapel: sharp to right [Lower Chapel road ed.]: under Principal's house: horseshoe and Hospital: "long-back-way" through Kasauli gate [main gate - ed.] and so home. (1mi 1070yd ed.).

"Long Hodson" start on top of "Tapp's Nose", otherwise known in Sanawar by some as "Monkey Point": on to upper mall: past Club: through bazaar: round lower bazaar (Kasauli), above Pasteur Institution to Kasauli-Dharampore cart road: through Gharkal and so home.  (3mi 550yd ed.).

The "Long Hodson" will be considered one of the coveted athletics honours of the year. It will take a boy of grit, endurance and stamina to win the race."

[The Order continues for several more paragraphs, prescribing in detail the training methods and programmes to be adopted and strictly adhered to for all three Runs. ed.]

The three Hodson Runs as described above continued to be run regularly until 1939 when they were radically modified by Principal the Rev. Agard E. Evans. He decreed that "in view of the falling ages of the boys and of strictures passed by the Medical Officer and others", (sic)  henceforth there was to be one race only, the HODSON RUN, and that once only around the Long Back starting and finishing at the Bakery. The course was to be along the Mall, through the Arch to Boy's barracks, on to Horseshoe bend, past the Hospital to Moti's Corner, turn left onto the bridle road, (Long Back, now part of MDR10), continue on to junction with cart road at foot of Crater's, sharp turn left up Sgt. Tilley's Hill and so home. Teams would be limited to eight runners from each House and there were to be no runners under twelve years of age. All runners home were to count and the House with the lowest (sic) score to be declared the winner. There would be no individual awards.

The highly successful and widely contested Long Hodson from Tapp's Nose, (Monkey Point) was run only once again after this, and that was in a 'run-off' for third place between two runners from the School Coolie team, the "Mandi Harriers" in September 1939. The official Open Record time of 19min. 7¾sec.for this long distance run set by Fusilier P.J. Risso, 2nd Bn Lancashire Fusiliers, (Sabathu) in 1934 was never bettered.

Upon his arrival in 1941, Principal the Rev. C.G. O'Hagan partly reversed the changes made by his predecessor. He retained the run that had been recast as "THE HODSON RUN", but adjusted the course to make it almost 2 miles in length. He also re-instituted the junior run for 9-12 year olds. The two runs were re-named the LONG and SHORT HODSON RUNS respectively, and both started at the south end of the Boy's quadrangle, (No. 11) and finished at the Lawrence Arch. He also re-introduced individual awards and prizes. The two events continued as part of the annual Inter-House Athletics Competitions until 1947.

The Hodson Runs were revived, and re-instituted in a slightly different format by Principal Mr. E.G. Carter, M.A., (Oxon) in 1949 and still take place annually today.