Race participants who use the Ogden Newspapers 20K Classic Web site don’t have to run a marathon to sign up for the event.

Those participants who prefer to register via the Internet can access the 30th annual Classic’s Web site, www.ogden20kclassic.com, and fill out all the proper forms.

Jessica Ischy, online manager of The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register, is a member of the Ogden 20K Classic race committee as the online director, and she has completed the modernization of the race’s Web site.

‘‘After going live with the race Web site in 2005, we received a lot of positive feedback as well as numerous suggestions,” Ischy said. “Since then, we have added a section with area information to assist out-of-town participants in locating lodging, restaurants and things to do while in Wheeling. We also added a personalized link showing users how to get to WesBanco Arena from wherever they’re traveling. All of the new information was added this year, but the site is still easy to navigate.”

There are color photographs from previous Ogden 20K races on the Web site as well as stories leading up to the 2006 race, which is scheduled for Saturday, May 27. For those who need constant updates on the time remaining until the start of the annual 20K event, there is even a live countdown.

There is more to the Web site than just pictures and stories. Entry fees, race details, course maps, the Ogden 20K Hall of Fame, the Ogden Ironmen, and even current and past course records are available. Anything you ever wanted to know about the distance race can be found there, Ischy said.

Since going online a year ago, www.ogden20kclassic.comhas averaged more than 6,500 visitors per month.

It not only gets the word out about the race, but it allows runners and walkers to register for the race without ever leaving their homes. A link found near the top of the main page provides a gateway to www.active.com, where entrants also can sign up and pay their entry fees for the race. It also offers downloadable registration forms that can be mailed in for those who don’t want to register online.

Only a quarter of the participants registered online in 2005, but Ischy said that more than half of this year’s entrants have taken advantage of registration through Active.com, the online registration center for the Ogden Newspapers 20K Classic.

‘‘We are experiencing a large increase in online registration,’’ Ischy said. ‘‘We are pleased to see so many people taking advantage of this convenient way to register for the race.’’