Obatron Productions' exercise arm, Obatron Fitness, is proud to present Nocturnal 12, a 12-hour fixed time race. Walker and mobility-impaired friendly. Diet sensitive. Hosted on Lake Ontario State Parkway Trail at Island Cottage Road to Dewey (43°16'21.2"N 77°39'42.3"W). Scroll for LOTS of details and see the menu sections for even more.
Most questions are answered here including:
How It Works
Fixed time races allow walkers and runners to traverse a loop, circuit, or other route that brings them back to a given start point repeatedly throughout the time allotted. Many allow you to stop during the race, leave the course, and return to do more miles. Some even allow you to start later than the official race start time. Most let you stop whenever you want and have whatever mileage you completed as of the last time through the start stand as your finish distance, even if that's only once through. Typically, your distance is calculated by multiplying the number of times you finished the route by the distance of the route as determined by the race director or other official. That means if your watch shows you did 39.77 miles, but you did 19 laps on a 2.06-mile course, then you will be recorded as having 39.14 miles.
What That Means for Distance
Our course is 2.06 miles long (1.03 out and another 1.03 back) along the paved Lake Ontario State Parkway Trail in Greece. To be considered a finisher, you must finish at least one out-and-back lap. Do as many laps as you want within the 12-hour time limit. Only completed laps count.
When/Where to Race, Packet Details & Food
Parking: Park on the wide shoulder on Island Cottage Road. The race takes place on the Lake Ontario State Parkway Trail from Island Cottage Road to Dewey Avenue. The race starts at 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 17, and ends at 5 a.m. on Sunday, October 18.
Late Night Munchies: Racers will have an all-night aid station. At registration, you'll have choices about dietary specifications. If you make no choices, we'll default to a traditional, unrestricted diet. If you choose contradictory things (vegan and traditional, for example), we'll default to traditional. Sample items include English Muffin or Mini Tortilla Pizzas, instant coffee, cookies, Gatorade, and cracker sandwiches.
Check-in/Packet Pick-up: Packets will be available 4 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. and will include the race bib and some goodies for race night. You can show up after 4:45 p.m., but you will not be able to start until the race director can stop what she's doing and check you in.
Other: Unclaimed registrations or prizes will not be shipped or held.
What You Get
Individual Racers
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Medallion: A wooden keepsake medallion.
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Shirt: Nocturnal 12 shirt in men's or women's sizing (whether performance material or other will depend upon availability at time of shirt cutoff); an alternate keepsake may be provided for those who miss the shirt cutoff (usually October 2, extended to 10/6 for 2025).
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Late Night Munchies: A variety of night-time munchies to keep you moving.
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Packet Expanders: Surprise items to round out your experience in keeping with a night-time theme.
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Earned Extras: Opportunities to earn raffle tickets that get you more swag and chances to receive premier prizes from Obatron Fitness and any sponsors, predominantly through the Obatron Fitness Facebook Group. See Sponsors Prizes for Earned Extras below for more information. Examples of possible opportunities:
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Race bib
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Digital finisher's certificate for each race (ready the after the race)
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RunGoo discount (See Sponsors from menu)
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RoadID discount (See Sponsors from menu)
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Facebook group to interact with fellow racers and their supporters as well as participate in challenges, ask questions, and get updates.
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Cumulative Mileage Tokens: Earn tokens for making certain "landmark" distances such as 5K, 13.1 miles, 26.2 miles, and 50K. Items vary each year, but examples are keychains, socks, and mugs. One definite? Make it to 50 miles or more in 12 hours and you will get a Nocturnal 12 sweatshirt, blanket, or similar item.
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Special Night Owl Award: Racers who are on the course throughout the night for at least part of every race hour will go home with a plush, squishy, or similar owl.
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Optional space to set up your own aid station or tent. You may consider staying until sunrise although the event is over at 5 a.m.
Teams (Groups)
Teams are groups of four or more people who each do as much as they can throughout the 12-hour limit. (It's not a relay. Perhaps in the future, if there's enough interest and I can wrangle timing help.) Teams must be registered by 9/30 to be guaranteed team tokens or prizes as we have to order and/or create them. Besides the things individual racers get, teams also get:
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Team token
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Team standings if there is more than one
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Small prize for team members with the most participation in Earned Extras Posts, if at least three teams are formed.
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Team captains and members get bonus raffle tickets
Prizes for Earned Extras Participants and Racer Raffle
Prizes may include skin care items, sweet treats, stress relief trinkets, an entry into another Obatron Fitness race or training, RunGoo by Foot Kinetics, and other items to be determined annually. All racers get tickets for registering and have chances to earn more through social media participation and donating to Greece Ecumenical Food Shelf.
Discount Offers & Referrals
Being Part of a Team
Teams with four or more members get discounted registration. The first three people pay the price in effect for the race (Ex. $200). When the fourth person registers, that person pays the team rate (Ex. $190) and the first three people get a partial refund (Ex. $10). The fifth, sixth, and seventh members pay the same team rate as the fourth person (Ex. $190). However, when an eighth person joins, that person pays a new, lower rate (Ex. $175), triggering a partial refund to the first seven members ($15). In that way, the entire team would have paid the same price per person after all team discounts have been triggered, excluding any coupons or other discounts individual registrants might have had (Ex. $175 instead of $200). There are no further discounts for additional members.
Being in a Club
If you are a member of any club with a presence on RunSignUp (ex. GRRC, Fleet Feet Race Team, Medved, or Obatron Race Team), you get a discount at checkout for that. If you join a team within this race at registration, you get partial refunds when you get to enough people (detailed earlier in this section).
Referrals
You may earn back some of your registration by having other racers use your personal referral link, generated after you register. See the "Referrals" section for more information.
Caveats
While club and team discounts, coupons, and referral rebates may be combined, there is a discount floor to ensure we are fiscally responsible with our pricing. For example, if you could get a total of $11 off a race that only costs $16 to begin with and our floor is $10, you would pay $10, not $5 ($16-11).
Awards
Overall Performance: There will be a small token of placement for the top three highest overall finishers, irrespective of gender.
Teams: If there are three or more teams formed, there will be a small bonus prize for members of the most active group in the Earned Extras challenges. If there are five or more, there will be acknowledgement of the Top and Tenacious Team finishes. If only one or two teams are formed, there will be no planned prizes.
Personal Aid Station: It's near Halloween, so a perfect time to decorate! Whether it's a single chair, a lonely ice chest, or a whole tent, decorate your personal aid station for a chance to win a special prize. Bonus points for decorating yourself, too! There will be a small prize for Best Decorating.
Sponsors
As our sponsors come on board and provide logos, a full list will be available on our sponsors page. If you know someone who you think would be a good sponsor, let them know to contact the race director at vickey@obatron.com. Sponsors provide discounts, prizes, or cash and make their clients aware of the event in exchange for advertising and an optional discount for their clients.
Additional Details
Changes and Updates
I will post additional details as they are finalized. Any changes will be updated here, on the Obatron Fitness Facebook page, in our Facebook group, and communicated through RunSignUp messaging.
Restroom Needs
There will be a portable toilet on site and a separate handwashing station near the aid station. Please note: temperatures in October can be rather chilly and the water will not be particularly warm. We'll add hot water as we're able to take the chill off without melting the water container. Camp safe soap will be provided.
Training
For those wanting formal training, contact us and we can get you on our schedule for group or personal coaching in Greece. Remote coaching also possible.