People wanting to compete in News and Sentinel Races on Aug. 18-19, have a variety of ways to register for the News and Sentinel Half Marathon, Two Mile Race, Junior Race and Tiny Tot Trot.

There will be no race day registration of the Half marathon or Two-mile race. Runners can pick up race packets and register for all races and shop at the Runner’s Expo from 2-9 p.m. on Aug. 17 at the Parkersburg Municipal Building at 1 Government Square.

The Half Marathon begins at 8 a.m. in downtown Parkersburg.

The rolling course will take runners out of the city and into the scenic surroundings of West Virginia before looping back into the commercial area. Racers will finish the race to the cheers of thousands of spectators lined up on Market Street prior to the Parkersburg Homecoming Festival Parade.

Minimum age to participate in the Half Marathon is 15.

See the website, NewsandSentinelHalfMarathon.com for a complete listing of age categories. Prize money for NCAA eligible runners is donated to the Newspapers in Education Fund.

All Half Marathon participants get a finishers medal and a tech shirt.

Packets for the Half Marathon and Two-Mile Race also can be picked up on race day from 6 until 7

a.m. at the Parkersburg Municipal Building.

The Two-Mile Race will begin at 8:10 a.m. with the starting line at Third and Juliana Streets at the Towne Square Parking Garage and the finish line is at Sixth and Market streets. Awards will be presented at 9:45 a.m. at the Bicentennial Park area. Team trophies will also be awarded. All participants will receive a T-shirt.

The News and Sentinel Half Marathon has 18 aid stations serving water and Gatorade, starting at the 1.5 mile mark. Health-care professionals from Camden Clark Medical Center will be located at various sites throughout the course to provide medical assistance. The Two-Mile Race will also have water stops.

Trophies and prize money will be awarded to the top four overall winners in the men’s and women’s divisions. Trophies will be awarded in the Clydesdale and Athena classes. Prize money will be awarded to the top three winners in age groups with a trophy for fourth and fifth places.

No award duplication in the age groups will occur. Men and women will compete in separate divisions in the Masters, Grand masters, wheelchair and age group categories.

Identical awards will be presented to men and women. All finishers of the Half Marathon receive a medallion.

Finishing times for all of the competitors will be based on chip timing in the half marathon and the two mile except for the overall run male and female finishers.

Awards presentations for the Half Marathon will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the Smoot Theatre at 213 Fifth St. Must be present to obtain trophy. No trophies will be mailed. All checks EXCEPT for open classes will be mailed. Awards for the Two-Mile race will begin at 9:45 a.m. at Bicentennial Park, Third and Market streets.

In case of rain, city council chambers. Must be present to obtain trophy. No trophies will be mailed.

Other awards will include: first male and first female from West Virginia will each receive the $250 Norma Phillips Award, sponsored by The River City Runners and Walkers Club. There are also awards for the first Wood or Washington county runner to finish the Half Marathon as well as the Rick Brown award for the first RCRWC member M/F and R/W. Must be a club member before March 1, 2012.

There is also an award for the oldest finisher in the half, and the oldest and youngest in the two mile race.

Based on age, the youth race events will have age- and gender based races for children ages 11 and younger.

The TinyTot Trot is for children ages 5 and under and the Junior Races are for children ages 6 to 11. The Tiny Tot Trot will start at 1 p.m. at the Parkersburg High School Stadium Field and the Junior Races will follow. Runners in these races can register on race day starting at 11 a.m. and ending just prior to the start of the races.

Participants may also pre-register by mail, online, or at the Runners Expo on August 17. All participants will receive a medal and a Tshirt.

For more information go to the website at Newsand SentinelHalfMarathon.com