The situation most runners are in
Race weekend accommodation is a genuine problem. Hotels near major marathon start lines charge two to four times their normal rate, and the good ones sell out months in advance. So you do what experienced runners do — you book early, you accept the price, and you figure it out.
Then you get to race weekend and realise the apartment you booked sleeps four, you're there by yourself, and you're paying for every one of those beds.
Or you booked a room with two beds because it was the last available option. Or you're sharing with a training partner but one of them pulled out. Or you simply chose a bigger place because the per-night rate worked out cheaper.
The gap BibBuddy fills: Race weekend accommodation that's already booked, with space going unused, while other runners are paying hotel rates or sleeping an hour from the start line. There is no logical reason these two things can't connect.
Meanwhile, the runner who left it too late is checking hotel booking sites every day, watching prices climb, and genuinely considering pulling out of a race they trained months for — all because they can't find somewhere reasonable to stay. For more on what this search looks like from their side, see our guide to race weekend accommodation sharing.
What you can actually list
You don't need to be a homeowner with a spare room permanently available. If you have any of the following on race weekend, you can list it on BibBuddy:
Note on Airbnb and short-stay rules: If you're subletting a space you've rented, check the terms of your booking first. Most Airbnb hosts allow guests; some don't. For apartments and hotels, sharing with a named guest is generally fine — but it's worth confirming.
What it means for your costs
The maths here is straightforward. Race weekend accommodation near a major marathon typically costs A$200–500 per night depending on proximity to the start line and how early you booked. Here's what listing a spare bed realistically does to that:
That's a 33% reduction on your accommodation cost for a few minutes of effort. Price it higher, or fill a private room rather than a shared bed, and the number gets better. Some runners find the spare bed covers their accommodation entirely.
What to charge: Check what hotels near the race start are currently listing for race weekend. Price your spare bed at a genuine discount — 40–60% below those rates is typical and still earns you real money. You're offering a community option, not competing with hotels. Runners appreciate fair pricing and reward it with good reviews.
How to list on BibBuddy — step by step
The listing process takes about five minutes once you know what you're offering.
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1Confirm your own accommodation first
Book your own place to stay before you list. You need to know exactly what you have — how many beds, whether the spare is a private room or a shared one, what the bathroom situation is, and how far you are from the race start.
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2Create your BibBuddy listing
Go to getbibbuddy.com and tap the Post (+) button. Select Host a runner and fill in your event, available dates, accommodation type, and a clear honest description. Add photos if you can — listings with photos get significantly more interest.
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3Set a fair price
Look at what accommodation near the race start is charging for that weekend. Price your spare space at a meaningful discount. You want a runner who's grateful they found you — not one who feels overcharged and leaves a poor review.
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4Screen your guest
Review their BibBuddy profile and any community ratings. Exchange a few messages — confirm their arrival time, whether they have an early race start (and an equally early alarm), dietary needs if you're sharing a kitchen, and any other logistics. You're picking a race weekend housemate, not just filling a bed.
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5Confirm and collect payment
Once you're happy, confirm the booking and arrange payment — bank transfer before or on arrival is standard. Keep it simple. Your race weekend accommodation now costs you significantly less than it did.
List early: Runners search for accommodation as soon as they enter a race — sometimes months out. The earlier your listing goes live, the more runners will see it. Don't wait until a few weeks before race day.
What race weekend sharing is actually like
The honest version: it's usually fine, occasionally genuinely great, and rarely awkward. Runners make good housemates for a race weekend because they have exactly the same priorities as you — early sleep, a good breakfast, and a smooth race morning. The shared context removes most of the friction that can make staying with strangers uncomfortable.
What you should actually expect:
- Very early alarms. If your guest has a 6am race start, their alarm is going off at 4:30am. Know this before you confirm.
- Pre-race routine clutter. Race kit, nutrition, bags everywhere. Temporary — they'll be out of the door before you've finished your coffee.
- Post-race euphoria (or disappointment). Either way, they'll want to debrief. It's part of the deal.
- A good story. The running community is small. The person you host this year might be someone you run with next year.
Most runners who share accommodation for a race weekend end up doing it again. The dynamic — two people with the same goal, in the same location, on the same schedule — works surprisingly well. For more on how this plays out in practice, the race weekend accommodation share guide covers it from the guest's perspective too.
If you want to go beyond the spare bed and turn race weekend hosting into something more intentional — listing your home near a race rather than just a spare bed in your booking — see the complete BibBuddy host guide for everything involved in that.
Frequently asked questions
Often yes, but check your booking terms first. Many Airbnb hosts allow additional guests — some charge a small per-guest fee. For hotels, adding a named guest is generally fine; subletting isn't. When in doubt, message the host or property directly. Most are accommodating when you explain the situation.
You set the price. Check what hotels near the race start are charging that weekend — a spare bed priced at 40–60% below those rates offers genuine value while meaningfully offsetting your costs. A$80–150/night for a shared bed is typical at major marathons; a private room commands more. Some runners price it to break even; others make a small profit.
The running community is a tight-knit one. On BibBuddy, both hosts and guests have verified profiles and community trust ratings. You can message potential guests before confirming, check their running background, and decline anyone you're not comfortable with. The shared context of racing together removes a lot of the usual friction of staying with strangers.
You're no worse off than before — you had a spare bed you weren't using. The BibBuddy listing fee is small, and demand for race weekend accommodation near major marathons is consistently high. The earlier you list, the better your chances. Most listings near well-known races fill well in advance.
Yes. BibBuddy works across Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Race weekend accommodation near London Marathon, Edinburgh Marathon, Manchester and Brighton is notoriously expensive and competitive. A spare bed in a well-located place is exactly what runners from outside the city are searching for.