While running the Reagan 5K on Saturday, the “Most Interesting Man” commercial flashed in my head. His ad tagline was “I don’t often drink beer, but when I do, I prefer (X brand).”

That is me when it comes to 5Ks. Rarely do I ever run them, but when I do, I prefer the Reagan Run. In fact, it is the only one I do all year.

Bear in mind that most of us from the ultra-running community hate 5Ks. I even polled a few Dixonites, such as Willie Mangrum, Todd McMillion and Matthias Kemmeren from the Yeti distance-running group, to see if they felt the same way.

And yes, they agreed. Whereas in 50- and 100-mile races we can settle into a relaxing pace, 5Ks are killers because they are an all-out gut-busting sprint from start to finish. Todd even spoke of being nervous the night before, more so than hardcore races where he would be on his feet for up to 30 hours.

Yes, it doesn’t make sense to fear a 3.1-mile course in downtown Dixon over a 100-miler in the wilderness, but that is the mindset of many an ultra-marathoner.

So why do I choose to run the Reagan 5K?

With hundreds of runners, it is a party atmosphere. Compared to other towns hosting 5Ks, Dixon has a big-time vibe to it.

The race committee, city employees and volunteers do a superb job. Every detail is covered, and runners are treated like royalty.

One example is having Gina Venier give a beautiful rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner beforehand, and a band play midway through the race. In an ode to patriotism, the fire department graces the course with the biggest flag I’ve ever seen.

The course is well thought-out with the use of city streets and park trails. Even with so many runners, one never feels crowded like big-city marathons, where it can be shoulder-to-shoulder the entire way.

Being stiff-jointed, I always arrive quite early to loosen up, and am able to witness the Reagan 5K work crew putting all the pieces in place. It is an experienced, polished outfit with many of the same faces year after year.

Our country may have a labor shortage, but the Reagan Run doesn’t appear to.

I particularly enjoy the wide range of contestants, from little kids to oldsters like myself. Additionally, it is a Who’s Who of former IHSA distance-running state medalists toeing the start line.

Besides the opportunity to test myself physically, this race allows for a fun morning of social interaction, with Haymarket Square the ideal venue to hang out and visit. The committee spares no expense with an overload of post-race refreshments, including Mama Cimino’s pizza.

Any race can offer a granola bar and bottle of water, but not too many offer pizza at 8:30 in the morning. An unexpected surprise was a Wahl grooming trimmer in the registration goodie bag.

Indeed, this is a first-class event and a testament to the can-do attitude of the community. It is a lot of work to shut down streets, and Dixon makes it happen, along with everything else that gets done in a professional manner.

Fear creeps into me each year as the Reagan Run approaches. Come race day, though, that feeling is soon overruled by the pleasure of taking part in something special.