Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, is probably nowhere you've ever heard of. Most people haven't. Sleepy Eye isn't known for many things, but it is known for the Corn Day 10K and 5K runs. Every year in August, Sleepy Eye citizens hold Corn Day celebrations, and the Corn Day Run is one of them.

When I think of the Corn Day Run, I have pictures in my head of massive corns on the cobs wearing bright red running shoes (just like these), racing through the streets of Sleepy Eye. Behind them are little men wearing chef's hats and carrying huge pairs of tongs, desperate to grab hold of and boil the poor corn.

In reality, the Sleepy Eye Corn Day Run is a little less scary than that. It's a great day for the family especially as, with a 10K and a 5K run and a 5K walk, any family member in any kind of shape can join in. It's also more than just a run as there are all kinds of stuff going on after the race, including mini golf, a soccer shoot out, volleyball games, crazy bowling, a putting contest and free, buttered corn. There's also the annual Corn Day Parade with high school bands, floats, animals and loads of other entrants.

The Sleepy Eye Corn Day Run is cheap to enter too, costing only $12 before August 8 and $17 after that. You also get a free t-shirt if you register before August 8, so for twelve bucks, it's a great deal. It's a small race too. As of the middle of June, only 38 people had registered for the race so, if you enter, you've got an amazing chance of winning. Winners in both the men's and the women's categories get plaques, and if you complete the race, you get a medal. With corn on it.

So if you want a really small 10K or 5K run in a place that's 'real purdie,' (the race runs around Sleepy Eye Lake) enter the Corn Day Run. Sleepy Eye was also one of the trading posts on the TV series "Little House on the Prairie" so, when you get there, you might be surprised to discover you've been there before.