Mind The Ducks 12 Hour Race Day

Bib pickup before the race

Unlike before other races, the registered race participants get only bibs before the race. The rest of the goodies are handed out after the race. More about that later on this page.

Schedule for the bib pick-up:

Packet pickup after the race

Before you leave the race location, and regardless of whether you completed just one lap or one hundred, please stop by the Lodge and pick up the bag of goodies you earned during the race, based on the distance covered at the race. See the section ‘Performance awards’ on the Awards page of this website to see what you may bring home after the race based on how many laps you completed at the race.

Race Day Schedule

  • 6:10 AM to 6:50 AM – bib pickup by the North Ponds Lodge
  • 6:50 AM – prerace instructions
  • 7:00 AM – the start of the race
  • 2:00 PM – pizza time
  • 7:00 PM – finish closes
  • 7:10 PM – winners’ awards

Directions to the Park/Race HQ

  • The official address for the race is North Ponds Park, 750 Holt Road, Webster, NY 14580. 
  • , formerly known as North Ponds Park. It was brought to our attention that some of the navigational units will not lead you to the park but to the Webster Kinder Care instead. If this happens to you, then go to Salvatore’s Old Fashioned Pizzeria on 195 North Ave, Webster, NY 14580. From their parking lot, look south, and you should see a road sign leading to North Ponds Park and follow the road signs. Also, please check the map and how to get to the park before the race.
  • Please note that the only way how to get to the Charles E. Sexton Memorial Park’s main parking lot is from intersection of 441 and 250. If you are on 441 or 250, look for ‘North Pond Park’ road signs.

Parking

The 2023 race will feature 175 race participants, and the main parking lot has only 100 parking spots. This means some of you may be required to use alternative parking locations. Here is the list of parking lots that can be used for the race:

Holiday Inn Express parking lot is reserved for hotel guests only and could be used by race participants that stayed overnight at the hotel.

No single-use cups race.

Starting with 2021, Mind The Ducks will no longer provide single-use cups at the race. Bring your water bottles or cups instead. As a participant, you have the option to refill the water bottles yourself, or you can leave your empty water bottle at the main aid station for race volunteers to fill it up. There will be two tables at the aid station – the drop-off table and the pickup table. The drop-off table will be divided into two labeled sections – one for a sports drink and the second one for water:

  • Drop your empty water bottle on the section marked for water at the end of one loop, and then pick up a refilled bottle with water at the end of the next loop.
  • Drop your empty water bottle on the section marked for a sports drink at the end of one loop, and then pick up a refilled bottle with a sports drink at the end of the next loop.

Also, it’s an option to hand your bottle to one of the aid station volunteers and ask them to fill your bottle with your desired beverage served at the aid station.

No outside pacing rule

Official race rules do not allow outside pacing at the Mind The Ducks 12 Hour. It will be enforced for overall female and male contenders and race participants who plan to break national or international endurance records at the race. 

Right of way rule

Race participants are to keep to the left unless passing a slower participant. Please also be respectful to each other and limit running/walking together to no more than two abreast since the course is narrow in certain sections.  In addition, Charles E. Sexton Memorial Park will remain open to the public, and you may find non-race participants on the course as well.

Personal Aid Stations

One of the perks of the short looped race course is that participants can set up a personal aid station anywhere on the course as long as it does not impede race operations and other race participants. A popular setup for a personal aid station is a 10’x10′ pop-up canopy, table, and chair, but you are not limited or required to have any of them listed to call your personal aid station. You can use your car’s trunk as your aid station or just a duffel bag. There are no restrictions on how you stock your personal aid station. Most participants bring extra running shoes and clothes, food, and drinks that are not served at the main aid station. Remember that you’ll have to bring it back to your car everything you brought to the race, and that may be challenging after 12 hours on the course.