Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half Marathon and Two Mile Race

About the Event

HALF MARATHON:
The Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half Marathon begins at 8:00 a.m. (Wheelchair division 7:50 a.m.) in downtown Parkersburg and is the RRCA WV State Championship. The rolling course will take you out of the city and into the scenic surroundings of West Virginia before looping back into the commercial area. You will finish the race to the cheers of thousands of spectators lined up on Market Street prior to the Parkersburg Homecoming Festival Parade.

All participants in the Half Marathon will get a tech shirt, pre-race pasta dinner, finishers medal, & post-race pizza luncheon.

TWO MILE RACE:
Starting line is at Third and Juliana streets at the Towne Square Parking Garage and the finish line is at Sixth and Market streets. The Two Mile Race is the RRCA West Virginia Championship. Race begins at 8:10 a.m.

To participate on a Company, Family, or School team for the 2 Mile Run, please select your existing team or create a new team during registration. Top 4 fastest team members determine the team score.

All participants in the 2 Mile will receive a T-shirt.

Schedule:

Friday, August 14, 2026, Locations Listed Below
2-9 p.m. - Registration/Packet Pickup for all Events - Parkersburg Municipal Building, 1 Government Sq, Parkersburg, WV 26101
5-9 p.m. - Pre-Race Pasta Dinner* - St. Francis Xavier Parish Center, near Finish Line (included with Half Marathon)
*2-mile participants, guest and children tickets may be purchased at the door. (2-mile tickets $3 with bib present, Guest tickets $7, & Children $4)

Saturday, August 15, 2026, Locations Listed Below
6-7 a.m. - Packet Pickup for Half Marathon & 2 Mile - Parkersburg Municipal Building, 1 Government Sq, Parkersburg, WV 26101
7:50 a.m. - Wheelchair Starts
8:00 a.m. - Half Marathon Run & Half Marathon Walk Starts
8:10 a.m. - 2 Mile Run & 2 Mile Walk Starts
9:30 a.m. - Awards for 2 Mile Run & 2 Mile Walk - Bicentennial Park, 201 3rd St, Parkersburg, WV 26101
11:00 a.m. -1 p.m. - Post-Race Pizza Lunch* - St. Francis Xavier Parish Center, near Finish Line (included with Half Marathon)
*2-mile participants, guest and children tickets may be purchased at the door. (2-mile/guest $5 & Children $4)
11:30 a.m. – Course Closed
12:30 p.m. – Awards for Half Marathon Run & Half Marathon Walk – St. Francis Xavier Parish Center, near Finish Line
12:30 p.m. – Parade begins (Market Street)

Odgen Newspaper Half Marathon & Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half Marathon:
Runners who complete in both the Odgen Newspaper Half Marathon & Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half Marathon will receive a special tech shirt!
*Must be preregister in the Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half Marathon by August 1 to get special shirt.

Races Offered

2 Mile Wheelchair Rim Push/Hand Crank

Aug 15, 2026

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Distance — 2 Miles

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Type — Running

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07:50

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$25.00

Half Marathon Wheelchair Rim Push/Hand Crank

Aug 15, 2026

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Distance — 21K

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Type — Running

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07:50

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$50.00

Half Marathon Competitive Walk

Aug 15, 2026

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Distance — 21K

terrain

Type — Running

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08:00

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$50.00

Half Marathon Run

Aug 15, 2026

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Distance — 21K

terrain

Type — Running

timer

08:00

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$50.00

2 Mile Competitive Walk

Aug 15, 2026

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Distance — 2 Miles

terrain

Type — Running

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08:10

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$25.00

2 Mile Run

Aug 15, 2026

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Distance — 2 Miles

terrain

Type — Running

timer

08:10

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$25.00

Weather History

These values represent the 3-year monthly averages for August in Parkersburg.

thermostat Temperature

18.2° / 29.1°

wb_sunny Feels like

19.1° / 29.6°

light_mode Avg sunshine hours

11h 42m

water_drop Avg rainfall

1.9 mm

ac_unit Avg snowfall

—

air Avg wind speed

7.7 km/h (Light breeze)

opacity Sweat loss rate

High

terrain Course conditions

Hard and dry surface

sunny Max UV Index

High (7.0)

humidity_mid Humidity

69.6%

wb_twilight Sunrise

06:40

nightlight Sunset

20:19

About Parkersburg

Learn more about the host city, Parkersburg.

Parkersburg is a city of 30,000 people in West Virginia. It was known as "Newport" when it was founded, later to be renamed Parkersburg in 1810. The city sits where the Little Kanawha River meets the Ohio river; the town of Belpre lies just across the river in Ohio. Among Parkersburg's more famous residents is Morgan Spurlock, director of the 2004 film Super Size Me; the city's film connections continued with the 2006 film Bubble, which was filmed in the area and starred local residents. The area also has a long history with oil drilling, and is the home of the first documented commercial use of oil in the US.