(Photo by Art Smith) Runners leave the starting line at the 2025 News and Sentinel Half Marathon. Runners at this year’s race on Aug. 15 will be the first to use the new race course.

PARKERSBURG — The 2026 version of the Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half Marathon will start and end at the same locations as it has for most of the 37 years that the race has run through the streets of Parkersburg. The route between those two points will change to lead runners and walkers through areas with less congestion and traffic.

“The city administration challenged the Parkersburg News and Sentinel to streamline the course to make the annual half-marathon less disruptive to traffic and reduce the required amount of city personnel and volunteers needed to conduct the event safely,” said Parkersburg Mayor Tom Joyce.

The old route took not only a large number of law enforcement personnel, but also a huge cadre of volunteers to ensure that traffic could be stopped at all intersections the 13.1-mile race passed.

“We worked closely with the Parkersburg Police Department to come up with a course that not only had fewer cross streets but will also provide racers with a more enjoyable experience,” said race co-director Art Smith. “We feel that the new course will better showcase Parkersburg while at the same time providing a safer route as it travels around the city.

“We have known for some time that the rehabilitation of the Juliana Street Bridge was going to impact the race because the race crosses it. The new course will have less of an impact on downtown street closures and should help with downtown traffic flow on the morning of the race,” added Smith.

(Photo Provided) This map shows the new route for the News and Sentinel Half Marathon.

The new race course will travel up Juliana Street from the starting line near the Oil and Gas Museum. After entering the historical Julia-Ann Historical District, it will make a left turn onto 12th Street on its way to the Parkersburg Ohio River Trail. When it reaches the trail, it will make a right turn and travel nearly to the end of the trail near Pond Run before flipping directions and traveling on the trail back to Point Park.

“The city has done a wonderful job on the trail which will offer great views of the river as racers travel on it for around four miles,” said Smith.

The race will leave Point Park and travel up Ann Street before making a U-turn onto the Juliana Street Bridge that will at that time be limited to one lane each direction. The outbound lane will be closed to traffic while racers cross the river. The racers will travel along U.S. 50 before exiting and traveling to Fort Boreman Park.

“We are thrilled to be adding this challenging and beautiful addition to the course. When they come around the circle at the top of the park they will have a stunning vista of the entire city plus a great view of the area that they just ran through,” said race co-director Steve Browning.

After exiting the park, the race course will return to the former route, taking Marrtown Road to West Virginia 95.

It will stay on the road all the way to Division Street, where it will cross into a neighborhood before connecting with Pike Street a few blocks later. It will then cross the Little Kanawha River on the East Street Bridge before making a left turn onto Depot Street. The race will travel on the street to Green Street where it will turn left and connect to Eighth Street. Runners will turn left onto Market Street and head for the traditional finish line at Sixth and Market streets.

The course for the News and Sentinel Two-Mile Race will remain unchanged from past years.

“I am confident that the organizers can communicate the change in the course adequately to ensure that local motorists, impacted residents and businesses are properly notified and prepared for the event on race day,” said Parkersburg Police Chief Matthew Board.

“The City of Parkersburg has been a great partner for the race throughout its nearly four decades. We are thrilled that by working together we created a course that not only made the race less disruptive to the city but will also enhance the experience to the residents and visitors taking part in the event,” said Parkersburg News and Sentinel Publisher Jim Spanner.