WHEELING — With its engine roaring and blades spinning in the wind, the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter’s landing at Heritage Port Friday made quite a splash with the huge crowd that turned out for the event.

And after a record number of eager youngsters sprinted to the 14th Street finish line in the Ogden Tiny Tot Trot and the Ogden Fun Run, it’s all systems go for today’s Ogden Newspapers 20K Classic Run and Walk.

Following the helicopter’s safe landing on the port stage, both the young and young at heart made a mad dash to inspect the Black Hawk, including Steve Kosek of Moundsville and Jeff Prager of Wheeling.

“It is really great to have something like this, especially during Memorial Day weekend. I am really glad to see it land in Wheeling,” Kosek said.

“This is really cool for everyone, and my kids really like it,” Prager added.

Wheeling Councilwoman Gloria Delbrugge never thought she would see a military helicopter land on the port stage.

“This is really nice for the kids, and for everybody. I hope they can find more nice things like this in the future,” she said.

The pilot in command of the Black Hawk was Ty Miller.

“These helicopters are used in missions all over the world, including Iraq. It is really nice for so many people come out to see this,” he said.

Miller said the helicopter is used by the 150th Aviation Battalion Air National Guard, which is stationed at the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport.

Race Director Robert “Scat” Scatterday, was very pleased with the turnout for the Black Hawk landing.

“I think we have come up with a great combination of events here that are all designed to complement each other,” he said.

With this being the initial year for the Black Hawk landing, Scatterday knows he will have his work cut out for him to expand the events for next year.

“It will be tough to top this next year, but I’ll try to come up with something,” he said.

Following the Black Hawk landing, a record number of children 5 years old and younger took part in the Ogden Tiny Tot Trot.

“With our record turnout this year, we are getting more kids off to a healthy start,” said Betsy Bethel, editor of Ohio Valley Parent Magazine, tot trot sponsor.

Bethel said the event is a good way to teach kids to exercise and have fun while doing it.

One of the runners was 4-year-old Lauren Taylor of Wheeling.

“We did good and had a lot of fun. And I like my medal,” she said.

Brendan Parks, 2, of McMechen also enjoyed the run.

“I think I won,” he said.

Chloe Carpenter, 5, of Martins Ferry said she intends to keep running in the events every year.

“It was really fun, and I wanted to keep going,” she said.

Carpenter’s grandmother, Linda Fuls, and her husband, Ken Fuls of Dayton, Ohio, said they return to Wheeling for the festivities every year because of their marriage.

“Without this race, I never would have met my wife. We met when we were running in the race in 1985, got engaged in 1986, and got married on the finish line half-an-hour before the race started in 1987,” Ken Fuls said.

Linda Fuls said her family wanted to see her get married in a church, but she insisted on exchanging vows at the race.

“Some people didn’t think it was a good idea, but we are still together 21 years later,” she said.

At 7 p.m., youngsters 12 years old and younger took part in the non-competitive Ogden Fun Run from the top of Wheeling Hill to the 14th Street finish line.

The Ogden Newspapers 20K Classic Run and Walk continues today, with the 20K Walk at 7:30 a.m. The main event — the 20K Run — gets under way at 8 a.m., with the 5K Run and Walk starting at 8:15 a.m.