WHEELING — Due to ongoing concerns with the COVID-19 coronavirus and new federal guidelines limiting crowd size, the 2020 Ogden Newspapers Wellness Weekend, sponsored by WVU Medicine and originally set for May 23-24, has been canceled.

The annual Wellness Weekend consists of the Ogden Newspapers Half Marathon Classic, which has traveled the streets of Wheeling without interruption for the past 43 years, along with the Tough as Nails Urban Challenge presented by The Health Plan and the Ohio Valley Trail Partners Heritage Trail Bicycle Tour.

It also includes a 5K run and walk along with two events for children — the Ogden Fun Run and the OV Parent Tiny Tot Trot.

The decision to cancel the Wellness Weekend came after much deliberation and consultation with city and public health officials, event organizers said.

“The health and safety of our community of runners, walkers, tiny tots, Tough as Nails participants and cyclists — along with our fans, staff, medical professionals and volunteers — are of the utmost importance in everything we do,” said Perry Nardo, general manager of The Times Leader. “Therefore, with all that we’re learning each day about the COVID-19, we knew that the right thing to do was cancel this year’s events now and start planning for next year.”

Nardo said Wellness Weekend organizers are working through the details now that the event has been canceled. He also noted that more information soon will be available on the Wellness Weekend website, ogdenwellnessweekend.com, for those who already had signed up to participate in the events.

“We know everyone was looking forward to the Wellness Weekend to kick off the summer, and especially to the improvements we made for the second running of the Tough as Nails Urban Challenge presented by The Health Plan, but we made the right decision in canceling the events,” Nardo said. “We thank all of our sponsors for their continued support and look forward to working with them as we prepare an even bigger and better Wellness Weekend in 2021.”

The events are held each year during Memorial Day weekend, serving as an unofficial kickoff to the summer season in the Ohio Valley.

Meanwhile, the Wheeling Heritage Trail Bicycle Tour set for May 24 will also be canceled, according to Doug Wayt, president of Ohio Valley Trail Partners group that organizes the event.

“We’re sad to say that, but because of all the other happenings going on, it’s the best thing to do,” Wayt said.

He said the Trail Partners hope to reschedule the bike tour fundraiser later in the year, if possible.