Name: Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half Marathon and Two Mile Race
Start: 2026-08-15
End: 2026-08-15
Location: Parkersburg, West Virginia

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

straighten

Distance — 2 Miles

terrain

Type — Walking

timer

07:50

Half Marathon Wheelchair Rim Push/Hand Crank

Aug 15, 2026

straighten

Distance — 21K

terrain

Type — Walking

timer

07:50

Half Marathon Competitive Walk

Aug 15, 2026

straighten

Distance — 21K

terrain

Type — Walking

timer

08:00

Half Marathon Run

Aug 15, 2026

straighten

Distance — 21K

terrain

Type — Walking

timer

08:00

2 Mile Competitive Walk

Aug 15, 2026

straighten

Distance — 2 Miles

terrain

Type — Walking

timer

08:10

2 Mile Run

Aug 15, 2026

straighten

Distance — 2 Miles

terrain

Type — Walking

timer

08:10

Weather Overview

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

Temp (°C)

Feels Like (°C)

thermostat 18.8° / 29.4°

wb_sunny 20.1° / 30.5°

Wind (km/h)

Humidity (%)

air 7.6 /

water_drop 73.5%

Temp (°C)

Feels Like (°C)

Wind (km/h)

Humidity (%)

thermostat 18.8° / 29.4°

wb_sunny 20.1° / 30.5°

air 7.6 km/h

water_drop 73.5%

About 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.