RunHarbour: A New Way to Find Accommodation for Ultramarathons

Lizzie interviews Grzegorz Korsak, co-founder of RunHarbour.

1. Where did the idea for RunHarbour come from?

The idea actually came to life back in 2023, when I helped a fellow runner from Poland who came over to take on the Race Across Scotland. I had never met him before in my life, but since that weekend, we’ve been close friends! That single experience opened my eyes to the incredible hospitality within the running world. From that moment on – even before RunHarbour was created – I went on to host several other runners at my place, and I also experienced firsthand the amazing kindness of others receiving help when traveling for races myself.

I kept talking about the idea with everyone I met, and the concept matured in my head over the last few years. Having run long-distance ultras across the UK and Europe – from the Spine Race to alpine trails – I knew how tough and expensive race-day logistics can be. I wanted to build a dedicated space to formalise this mutual support: a platform where ultra runners can help one another with a free place to sleep, a warm cup of tea, and a shared understanding of this beautiful madness.

2. What is it about the running community that made you realise this idea will work?

Ever since I was young, I’ve had a knack for getting myself into all kinds of tricky situations – and then having to figure out on my own how to pull myself out of them! In ultra running, I realised that race logistics and accommodation are often just another huge puzzle to solve. I wanted RunHarbour to be that exact practical solution to make life easier for runners facing those challenges.

As for the community itself – ultra runners share a truly unique bond. We’ve all been at that low point at 3 AM in the pouring rain, questioning our life choices! Because of that shared grit, there’s an instant level of trust and empathy between us. When you meet a fellow ultra runner, you instantly speak the same language. I knew that if cycle-tourists had Warm Showers (hosting platform for the cycling community), our running community – which is just as passionate and tight-knit – would naturally embrace a platform built specifically around their needs.

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3. How does RunHarbour work and what can we expect when we use it? 

RunHarbour connects trail and ultra runners with local hosts living near race routes or running spots. After logging in (quick and easy via Facebook), you can search our interactive map to find hosts in the area you’re traveling to. You send a request, connect directly, and arrange your stay.

It’s important to emphasize that RunHarbour is about much more than just accommodation! It’s a complete support network that includes airport transfers, race-day support, and crew help.

When using the platform, you can expect true runner-to-runner hospitality: a safe place to sleep, complete flexibility for early morning race starts, a friendly face, and priceless local trail advice. A key feature is our built-in real-time AI translator, which completely removes language barriers – allowing runners and hosts from anywhere in the world to communicate seamlessly.

What’s more, in the near future, we plan to launch a community notice board where anyone can post requests for race support, crew help, or airport rides in specific regions!

4. The accommodation for ultra runners is offered for free… in fact all support is offered for free.. what made you realise that people would be willing to be so generous?

We’re talking about everyday, amateur ultra runners here – people balancing jobs and daily life who push their limits on the trails for hours or even days on end. Ultra running has a unique way of reminding us how remarkably little a person actually needs to survive and keep going: a warm space, a roof over your head, basic food, and human kindness. At the same time, it makes us realise how much abundance we actually have in our daily lives that we can easily share with others.

Ultra running isn’t driven by luxury or money; it’s driven by passion and human connection. Most runners have experienced unexpected, selfless kindness on the trail at some point, and naturally want to pay that kindness forward. RunHarbour is an invitation and a nudge for people to share what they have and help one another. Hosting a fellow runner costs very little, but the reward of helping someone achieve their dream of crossing that finish line is simply priceless.

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5. Opening your home to someone you have never met before requires trust. How have you made RunHarbour safe for both hosts and runners?

Safety and privacy are our top priorities. We designed the platform so that exact host addresses are never publicly visible. The interactive map only shows an approximate area, so your precise home address remains completely private until you personally agree to host a runner and share those details.

We have a two-way review and rating system after every stay, which builds transparent trust within the community. We also have an external verification system – our platform is already integrated with UTMB accounts, allowing us to quickly verify a trail runner’s profile.

Looking ahead, we plan to expand our integrations to include statistical databases, specifically DUV (DUV Statistik)! This will be a great addition tailored for road ultra runners, 24-hour race participants, and Backyard Ultra competitors.

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6. What would you say to a runner who is hesitant to sign up as a host on RunHarbour because they think they don’t have a spare room or live somewhere with no major races nearby?

I’d say: you don’t need a luxury guest room! For an ultra runner, it’s the simple things that matter – a spot of clean floor to roll out a sleeping pad and sleeping bag, access to a bathroom, a kettle for hot water, and a welcoming face.

As for location – runners travel not just for huge events, but for personal trail projects, training blocks, or FKT attempts. Plus, hosting isn’t just about providing a bed! Imagine a runner having to take a DNF out on the course. It might turn out that the spot where they pull out is right near where you live. By being listed on RunHarbour, you could offer a lifesaver lift to the finish line to collect their finish bag, or drop them off at the next checkpoint where race crew can look after them. That kind of support in a tough moment is invaluable. Everyone in our community has something useful to offer!

7. What are your long-term dreams and vision for RunHarbour? Where do you see the platform in a few years?

I want RunHarbour to be the very first thought on an amateur runner’s mind whenever they start planning a trip for a race or trail project anywhere in the world.

My goal isn’t to compete with hotels or commercial rentals. I want RunHarbour to represent an alternative way of traveling and running – one rooted in genuine human connection, shared passion, and mutual support.

One of the core reasons for creating the platform was to help reduce the already huge costs of ultra runners taking part in events – races that are often on the other side of the world and come with hefty price tags for entries, flights, and gear. That’s why we are committed to keeping RunHarbour completely free for users, ensuring that finances don’t stand in the way of someone chasing their running dreams.

Naturally, running and hosting the platform comes with growing infrastructure costs, which we currently fund entirely out of our own pockets. Both Mark and I have our day jobs, and RunHarbour is a true passion project for us. Because of this, if anyone loves what we are building and wants to support the journey, they can always buy us a coffee – every little bit helps us keep the servers running and the project moving forward!

The platform has only been live since May, and we’ve already seen an incredible response from the community. Crucially, we want it to grow completely organically. We aren’t chasing a sudden, artificial boom or millions of users in a single month. Trust and safety are our absolute top priorities, so we prefer to build this community step by step. In a few years, I see RunHarbour as a strong, secure, and tight-knit global network where no matter where you travel for a race, you immediately feel right at home among fellow runners.

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8. What is currently your biggest challenge in growing RunHarbour?

The biggest challenge right now is reaching runners and encouraging them to try out a new platform. People’s awareness around online privacy and digital security has grown significantly in recent years. Users are naturally much more cautious now – they don’t just click on any link or blindly sign up for a new service. And honestly, I think that’s a really good thing! However, it does mean that building genuine trust takes time, patience, transparency, and showing real value.

The second challenge is balancing the project with our daily work and personal lives. We are building RunHarbour out of pure passion after hours, self-funding every step, so every free moment is split between our day jobs, our own ultra training, fine-tuning the technology, and staying in close touch with the community.

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9. If you had to give one simple piece of advice to an ultra runner planning their first international race or trail project, what would it be?

My main piece of advice is: don’t be afraid to ask for help and open up to the local community. We often focus entirely on logistics, gear, and numbers, forgetting that the true heart of ultra running is the people we meet along the way.

That’s exactly why on RunHarbour we want everyone to feel completely at ease – we’ve added the option to directly message a potential host before making any commitments. It puts zero pressure on you, allows you to clear up any doubts, chat beforehand, and builds genuine trust in the platform. Whether you’re looking for a place to stay, local advice, or support, being open to others turns a simple race trip into a real adventure and a lifelong connection.

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10. Finally – how can runners and readers of this article join RunHarbour and support the growth of this community?

It’s really simple! First, it’s worth noting that RunHarbour is a web-based platform, not a mobile app you download from an app store – meaning it runs smoothly on any device right through your browser.

While the original idea for RunHarbour was born in my head, the platform would never have come to life without Mark. Mark is the absolute tech mastermind behind the entire project – he handles all the engineering, architecture, and code that make the platform run so smoothly and securely.

Even though we only launched in May, combining that vision with Mark’s technical brilliance has allowed us to reach nearly 30 countries across several continents! Beyond popular running hubs in Europe, our map features some truly exotic locations like Mauritius, Malaysia, New Caledonia, and New Zealand.

The best way to jump in is by heading over to RunHarbour.run Crucially, we offer social log-in via Facebook, which makes setting up your profile quick and effortless. You can join as a host – whether you have a spare guest room, a spot of floor for a sleeping bag, or can simply offer a lift to the start line or after a DNF.

If you aren’t able to host right now, simply spreading the word about RunHarbour in your running groups and among friends is a massive help. And if you’d like to help us cover our growing server and tech costs, you can always buy us a virtual coffee. Every new pin on the map brings us one step closer to building a truly connected global ultra community!