WHEELING — Some exciting additions are on tap for The Ogden Newspapers 20K Classic Walk & Run.

Already one of the top destinations for the national and international road racing community, the event will take another leap forward when the 31st annual race steps off Memorial Day weekend in downtown Wheeling.

“We intend to make the Friday and Saturday activities more family-oriented and public-friendly,” said R. “Scat” Scatterday, who is in his first year as race director after serving the past three decades in other capacities with the event.

“In our pursuit of those two goals, we have made some significant changes on Friday night and on Saturday morning following the race.”

While additions are being made, the traditional staples that have made the Ogden Classic a “Destination Weekend” for the Friendly City remain.

The pace of preparations is beginning to ramp up as fewer than six weeks remain until activities commence.

“We are now at the stage where the individual components of putting the race together are approaching their final stages,” Scatterday said. “For the last three months there have been many individual meetings with various components that go together to support the race. That culminated with a recent meeting of the race committee.”

Action begins Friday, May 25, with the Ogden Tiny Tot Trot, the Ogden Fun Run, the Masters Mile and the Ogden Mile.

Race events will be preceded by a city-wide, Olympic-style torch run that will pay homage to the nation’s armed services personnel and veterans.

The run, which will begin at 4:30 p.m., will involve local veterans and military personnel, high school students, city officials and West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin.

“The intention is to have several hundred war veterans gathered at the finish line by 6 p.m. for a moment of thank you,” said Scatterday, a Vietnam veteran who currently serves as a major in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

The Ogden Tiny Tot Trot begins at 6:45 p.m. over the final 100 yards of the race course. Youngsters age 5 and under compete free of charge with all entrants receiving a finish award ribbon.

At 7 p.m., the Ogden Fun Run sets off from the top of Wheeling Hill. The non-competitive run for youngsters 12 and under has an entry fee of $7, which includes a T-shirt. Parents also are encouraged to run with their children at no cost, or they can pay a $5 fee and receive a T-shirt.

The gun goes off for the Ogden Mile at 7:15 p.m. Also starting off from the top of Wheeling Hill, the downhill course has proven to be one of the fastest mile treks in America. The race is limited to participants age 13 and over.

Included in that event is the Masters Mile for competitors age 40 and over.

Saturday’s activities begin with the 20K walk at 7:30 a.m.

The featured event, the 20K run, steps off at 8 a.m., with the start of the 5K run and walk coming at 8:15 a.m.

Due to safety concerns, the 20K course that was used last May will be used again.

“Because of highway construction projects, mainly Wheeling Hill and the Wheeling Tunnel projects, we’ve decided it’s best for the safety of the runners and walkers to use last year’s course,” Scatterday said.

The awards luncheon will once again follow Saturday’s events but this year’s fete will have a different look and feel.

“The awards banquet will be modified and restructured to include more events and more activities such as outside vendors and entertainment,” Scatterday said, noting more details will be forthcoming. “Even the way we start the races on Saturday will be more stimulating than in past years.”

Scatterday credits race sponsors for keeping the Ogden Newspapers 20K Classic and the events that surround it a Memorial Day tradition in the Friendly City.

In addition to Ogden Newspapers Inc., other Platinum Sponsors for this year’s events include Jarvis, Downing and Emch; Dauphin Graphic Machines Inc.; United Bank; Wheeling Island Racetrack and Gaming Center; Wheeling Hospital; the Ohio County Commission; and the city of Wheeling.

Gold Sponsors are Pepsi Bottling Group of Moundsville, Kroger and Wheeling Jesuit University.

Serving as Silver Sponsors are Shirts N’ More; The Times Leader; Undo’s; village of Bethlehem; Parkersburg News and Sentinel; Domino’s Pizza; DeFelice Care; McClelland Sign Inc.; Wheeling Coffee and Spice; Ohio County Schools; Ohio Valley Awards; W.A.T.C.H. Inc.; Ohio Valley Parent Magazine; Sheetz; Staley Communications; and Dr. Michael Maroney.

Registration forms for all events are available throughout the area and may also be obtained online by visiting www.ogden20kclassic.com.

For information, call the Ogden Newspapers at (304) 233-0100 and ask for Ext. 317 or 253.