Mule Day

Yup, you read it correctly. Mule Day. Hilarious.

Although, I cannot poke fun at anyone's hometown festival. Dumas is the home of the Ding Dong Daddy Days festival. It falls on the last weekend in July every year. Have you ever been to southeast Arkansas at the end of July? No? Good. Because no one should ever go to southeast Arkansas in the dead middle of summer. It's. Miserable.

Moving on.

Justin and I got to enjoy Mule Day in Columbia, TN this past weekend. Our dear friend, Ben, was born and raised in this semi-small Middle Tennessee town. He and his brother have belt buckles that have Mule Day on them - I'm being serious folks.

Ben, him Mom, and I have recently been 5k running buddies. We participated in the Nashville Zoo Run Run in January together. After that race, they told me that there was a 5k during the Mule Day festival. Holla!

Justin, being the supportive husband that he is, went down to Columbia with me to stay at Ben's parent's house on Friday night so we would be bright, eyed and bushy tailed for the 8am run. Let me tell you, Justin must really love me to interrupt his Saturday morning snooze.

The "Mule Day Kick" was great! The weather was a little chilly at the start of the race but it soon warmed up to a gorgeous day. We all did really well in the race - I posted my personal best time of 26:55! I was pretty proud of myself. For those of you out there who are fast 5k-ers, cut me some slack. I'm vertically challenged and these little Road Runner legs can only go so fast.

In fact, I was running along side a fellow for most of the race. He was quite taller than myself - which isn't hard because I was granted the vertically challenged gift. Anywho - I started paying attention to how he ran - while listening to "Hand Clap", my running song that I listen to on repeat, lame I know - and notice something very disturbing. I was running my little heart out, breathing deep and he was trotting. Trotting folks. For every 4 steps I took, he took 2. Thanks, short legs.


Regardless, I was pretty proud of my time and came in 9th in my age group! There were probably on 10 in my age group but ignorance is bliss! :) Ben, on the other hand, kicked major Mule Day Kick "ass" (get it? haha). I'm not sure of his final time but I am sure that he placed 3rd in his age group and was presented a cool water bottle in the awards ceremony afterward! Way to go, Ben! And, his cute little mama, Miss Katie, improved her time by like 4 minutes! I was so proud of her!! After the awards and seeing an 88 year old man receive a water bottle, she decided she'd keep moving!






Now, this was only a small segment to the Mule Day festivities. We missed the parade because frankly, we stunk and needed a shower. After showers, we proceeded into the madness of downtown Columbia on Mule Day Saturday. Let me tell you folks, this was like a mini-game day! There were people EVERYWHERE!


We made our way to a house party where Ben knew everyone. Like, everyone. It was like a high school reunion. Hello, small town. We felt at home, except we weren't. There was music, tons of food, tons of brews, cowboy boots on everyone, sun dresses, big shades, and a country twang so think you could cut it. I loved it.


I said to one of the girls there -


"This Mule Day is kind of a big deal, huh?"


"Um, yea! Some folks don't come home for Christmas but they make sure to make it back for Mule Day!"


There ya go, folks - Mule Day trumps Santa Claus.


I couldn't leave Mule Day without having a t-shirt. Ben promised me there would be cool shirts and he did not tell a lie. A dude with a backpack came to our little gathering - or the gathering that was a mere wall flower in - and made my day. Here's what he brought....

It says - Bring Your Stubborn Ass! Hahahaaa