New half marathon course excites runners and organizers alike
Art Smith, left, co-director of the Parkersburg News and Sentinel Races, and Eric Anderson, with Ogden Newspapers, load supplies for Saturday's races into a box truck for transportation Friday afternoon. (Photo by Sophie Wheeler)
Ashley Johnson, left, registers for two-mile run with her son with the help of volunteer Scott Simonton, right, at the Parkersburg Municipal Building on Friday afternoon. (Photo by Sophie Wheeler)
Art Smith, left, co-director of the Parkersburg News and Sentinel Races, and Eric Anderson, with Ogden Newspapers, load supplies for Saturday's races into a box truck for transportation Friday afternoon. (Photo by Sophie Wheeler)
Ashley Johnson, left, registers for two-mile run with her son with the help of volunteer Scott Simonton, right, at the Parkersburg Municipal Building on Friday afternoon. (Photo by Sophie Wheeler)
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PARKERSBURG – A new route for the Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half Marathon has organizers and runners optimistic.
Art Smith, co-director of the Parkersburg News and Sentinel Races and the online manager for the newspaper, said several factors went into changing the course for the half marathon including the opportunity for racers to take in some beautiful yet low-traffic areas like the Parkersburg Ohio River Trail and Fort Boreman Hill, ongoing construction and avoiding intersections.
"Last year, we announced the 13th Street hill was going to be out of the race," said Steve Browning, co-director of the race. "There was a loud ovation, so I think it will be popular.”
Browning said the change was also prompted by runner and volunteer safety and a request from the City of Parkersburg to avoid intersections "so that didn't tie up the police department and sheriff's department as much."
Kevin Trippett, a Parkersburg resident, is participating in the half marathon for his fifth year.
"I have some concerns about the River Trail getting congested with people running both ways on it," he said, "but I'm not mad that the 13th Street hill is no longer (part of the course)".
The new course still has a few hills, but they are in the first half. This provides runners with a flatter, downhill course in the latter half of the race.
"That's a whole different perspective," Browning said.
On Friday afternoon, race participants could enjoy a pre-race pasta dinner. Teresa Phillips, a local nurse, has been volunteering for over 30 years, starting as a server for the pasta and pizza meals and working her way up to organizer.
This year runners got in line and got their food rather than having a server bring food to the tables. Phillips said she hopes this will make it easier for participants to get their food and streamline the process. She hopes more volunteers will join next year.
"It's a fun time,” she said. “You get a free shirt and all the pasta or pizza you can eat."
With the course change, new considerations had to be taken regarding the route.
"We had a new worry this year," Smith said, "the Ohio River rising because much of the race is along the river. The river never came up, so we're good."
Racer registration has increased following the updated course.
"Last I checked we were up 20%," Browning said, "so it looks like word has gotten around and it looks like people are responding".
Browning urges others to join next year and looks forward to further improvements to the course.
"Somewhere out there, something is going to happen that we'll have to make an adjustment on,” he said. “Next year, we should be much more confident in this new course.”
Sophie Wheeler can be reached at swheeler@newsandsentinel.com.