ON THE Saturday before Thanksgiving, late-November weather sets the tone for the holidays ahead. That’s when Tullahoma gathers for one of its most beloved traditions: the Annual Wobble Gobble Chamber 5K.
What began six years ago with just 125 runners has grown into a nearly 500-person event, complete with dozens of sponsors, cheering families, and a course that winds down Jackson and Atlantic Streets.
For race director and 2025 Tullahoma Area Chamber of Commerce President James Fuller, the growth still catches him off guard.
“To maintain and even grow a 5K event each year speaks volumes to the committee, sponsors, and participants that make it what it is.”
However, the Wobble Gobble has never been solely about speed or finish times. On race morning, you’ll see competitive runners lining up beside parents with strollers, coworkers laughing together, and first-timers nervously adjusting their race bibs. Fuller believes that’s exactly the point.
“Wobble Gobble can be what it needs to be for each participant,” he said. “It doesn’t matter the participants’ fitness level; we have people of all levels of fitness.”
Those moments are what keep him coming back. Like the woman who ran her first-ever 5K just shy of her 40th birthday. Or the student who finished the race and decided to try out for the school’s cross-country team. Or the kids — some as young as 8 — crossing the finish line beaming.
“Events like this encourage, inspire, and motivate people to become active, change their lifestyle, and become healthier,” Fuller said.
Behind the scenes, hundreds of hours go into making those three hours on Saturday before Thanksgiving run smoothly. Planning begins months in advance, with chamber board members and ambassadors overseeing everything from sponsorships to logistics.
“Many people see just the tip of the iceberg when the full and much greater mass is submerged under the surface of the water,” Fuller said. “Planning for Wobble Gobble begins months in advance.”
For out-of-town runners, Wobble Gobble offers a moving introduction to Tullahoma: three miles of history, community, and hometown pride. And it reminds locals that sometimes the best traditions are the ones that bring everyone to the same starting line.
“When you run alone, you run fast… When you run together, you run farther.” – Zambian Proverb GN
Visit runsignup.com/Race/TN/Tullahoma/TACCWobbleGobble5k for more information.
