RACE RETURNS — The Ogden Newspapers Half Marathon Classic will run for the 45th time during this year’s Ogden Newspapers Wellness Weekend presented by WVU Medicine. -- File photo

WHEELING — Even though downtown Wheeling will look a bit different during this year’s Ogden Newspapers Half Marathon Classic, one thing won’t change – the hills that make the race both a challenge and a popular competition to kick off the summer.

Runners will line up to take on one of the toughest road courses around on the morning of May 27, when the 45th edition of the Ogden Newspapers Half Marathon Classic, one of the tentpole events of Ogden Wellness Weekend presented by WVU Medicine, gets underway. The race returned last year after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and race director Joe Lovell said it didn’t miss a beat following the break.

“After two years being off, it was great to have it again,” he said. “The turnout was great. And this year, we’re up 50 (registered entries) over last year at this time, which is even better that we can say that.”

Though the Downtown Streetscape project has a sizeable chunk of downtown Wheeling torn up to replace sidewalks and pave streets, Lovell said the changes to the half marathon course will be minimal. The half marathon will start at the corner of 14th and Main streets and head east on 14th Street to Jacob Street, then south on Jacob. It then turns west on 16th Street to Main Street, then south on Main east of 27th to Chapline Street, south on Chapline to 38th Street, east on 38th Street, then north on Jacob to 33rd Street.

Runners will head west on 33rd, then north on Eoff Street to 29th Street. The course turns east on 29th to Valley Boulevard, and east on Valley to Bethlehem. Runners then head east on Bethlehem Boulevard to U.S. 40, and west on National Road through Woodsdale and Fulton to Stone Boulevard. The course heads south on Stone to Chapline Street, south on Chapline to 14th Street, and then 14th west to the finish line.

Runners will still make the 13.1-mile trek from downtown Wheeling to Bethlehem to Elm Grove to Woodsdale. The hills that are a signature of the race aren’t going anywhere, Lovell said, and that makes veterans of the Ogden Newspapers Half Marathon Classic very happy.

“They love the hills,” he said. “‘I’ve gotten emails from different people asking if you’re changing the race course. We say we may be changing some of it. They say, ‘Please don’t change any of the hills, because we love it.'”

The half marathon walk will begin at 7:30 a.m. May 27, and the half marathon run will follow at 7:50 a.m. Cash prizes will be available for the top four finishers in the men’s and women’s open runs and for the top three finishers in the men’s and women’s open walks. The open run winners will earn $1,125, while the open walk winners will earn $200.

Race towels, bottled water and fresh fruit will be available to participants, who also will each receive one food voucher. Pre-registered participants are guaranteed a shirt. Official race medals will be awarded to each finisher of both the walk and run, and will be handed out as contestants cross the finish line.

“Last year’s return of the Ogden Newspapers Half Marathon Classic was a wonderful and welcome sight,” said Perry Nardo, general manager of The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register. “We couldn’t be more excited to once again welcome runners and walkers from the Ohio Valley and beyond to take on one of the country’s most challenging race courses.”

Registration remains open for Ogden Newspapers Half-Marathon Classic. The race is part of a two-day event that includes the Ziegenfelder Twin Pops 5K Run and Walk, the Ogden Fun Run presented by Zigenfelder and Tiny Tot Trot presented by Ziegenfelder, all scheduled for May 27. On May 28, is the Tough As Nails Urban Challenge presented by the Health Plan and the Wheeling Heritage Trail Bicycle Tour. To register or for more information on the races, visit ogdenwellnessweekend.com.