Because of past commitments to his high school and college track teams this time of the year, Wheeling's Ricky Moore has been able to compete in The Ogden Newspapers 20K Classic Run and walk on just two occasions.

However, even in those brief opportunities, Ricky clearly was able to leave his mark on the race.

In 2001, Moore blazed to a ninth-place finish with a time of 1:06.50, which was the third fastest clocking by a West Virginia runner and second among the Ohio Valley participants to Ogden 20K Classic Hall of Fame member Mike Dodge.

Ricky, who turned professional a year ago, is ambitiously looking forward to competing in the 2005 event, which unfolds on May 28. He loves the competition offered in this challenging 20K race.

Moore, at this writer's request, dropped by the office one day last week to allow us to catch up what's been happening with his running career.

It turns out that the former Wheeling Park High School and Wheeling Jesuit University track and cross-country star had to ease off with his training regimen because of illness. Through the latter part of the winter months, Moore battled a severe case of influenza and strep throat.

"It set me back about two months,'' Ricky said. "But I'm feeling good now and still have plenty of time to work back into shape for the Ogden race.''

Moore has been putting in some base mileage workouts for the last six weeks but his first two actual workouts were just over a week ago.

"I was pleased with the results,'' he said. "From a fitness standpoint, I haven't lost much from where I was before getting sick.''

He held a recent workout on the Heritage Trail, which will be used as part of the course for the 20K this year because of ongoing construction along National Road. The changed course will eliminate several hills, including Chicken Neck and Wheeling Hill, which should allow for some impressive times.

Moore ran at a comfortable pace and averaged 5:20 per mile. If the weather is good on race day and the people up front want to go out and run, he thinks the winner will come in at around 1:01:00. Ricky's hopeful he can finish at 1:02 or under.

Despite the health setback, Moore said his plans for a career as a professional runner remain very much on the front burner.

"Actually, the time off gave me a new outlook on life and what I wanted to do over the next several years,'' he said. Moore, who just turned 24 years old, said felt reinvigorated and convinced he was doing the right thing.

Running has been part of Ricky's life for many years. During his high school days at Wheeling Park, he was the West Virginia Class AAA individual state champion twice in cross-country. He also won the two-mile event on two occasions.

Moore began his college career at West Liberty where he was West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference cross-country titlist once and a runner-up the following year. He then transferred to Wheeling Jesuit and continued to find success running the hills and ovals around the area and the state.

He earned two more individual WVIAC titles as a cross-country runner and was a two-time champion in the 5K and the steeplechase. Twice he was a national qualifier for the NCAA Division II cross-country championships, earning All-American laurels both times.

Moore has continued to be a solid competitor in the local area. He was the individual champion the first four years of the Debbie Green Memorial 5K Run/Walk For Leukemia and was runnerup in last August's race.

Along with the Ogden 20K and the Debbie Green races this summer, Ricky also plans to take part in the Parkersburg Half Marathon. He may also enter another 5K or 10K event in June or July.

"The Ogden 20K will be my first official race since getting over my health problems,'' Moore said. "Until then I'm going to focus on getting in a lot of mileage and becoming as fit as I can.''

Ricky got his first taste of coaching this year as he tutored the distance runners for WJU track coach Trent Huntsinger. He also is enjoying the opportunity to help recruit potential student-athletes for the Cardinals' track program.

Moore does see coaching as a possibility for his future, but says he'd have to learn a lot before he'd feel ready to be put in charge of an entire program.

"It's one thing to coach distance runners and do some recruiting,'' he said, "but to be a head coach you've got to have knowledge in every aspect of the sport. I've got a long way to go before I would feel comfortable as a head coach.''

Give him credit for realizing what it takes to run a track program.

But I have a hunch that if coaching is what Moore wants to do down the line, he'll be able to hit the ground running.