ASPEN, CO—In a classic case of race-day miscalculation, local ultrarunner Brian Mitchell found himself scrambling to request a late checkout from his Airbnb host after underestimating his finishing time at the Aspen Trail Ultra this past weekend.
Mitchell, who was originally scheduled to check out at 11 AM, crossed the finish line at 10:45 AM—just 15 minutes before the deadline. “I thought I had it all figured out,” he lamented, still catching his breath post-race. “I had my pace chart, my nutrition plan, and a detailed timeline. But somewhere between mile 30 and 50, I completely lost track of time.”
A Race Against the Clock
As the finish line approached, Mitchell realized he had no chance of making it back to his accommodation before the checkout time. “It was like a surreal moment of clarity,” he recalled. “I had to decide whether to sprint to the Airbnb or sprint to the nearest bathroom. Spoiler alert: I chose the latter.”
After finishing the race, he hurriedly packed his gear, which he described as “an impressive pile of muddy clothes, half-eaten gels, and that one sock I didn’t want to talk about.” He then dashed to the Airbnb host’s messaging app, typing furiously as sweat poured down his forehead. “I was basically racing against my own body’s need for hydration,” he joked.
The Host’s Response
Mitchell’s Airbnb host, initially surprised by the request for a late checkout, quickly showed understanding. “I’ve had a few runners stay here before, so I knew what was going on,” said host Melissa Chen. “They often underestimate how long these things take. I just wish they would stop leaving their stinky shoes in the living room!”
With a gracious extension to 1 PM granted, Mitchell breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Melissa! You’re officially my favorite person,” he messaged back, grateful to avoid an awkward situation involving the unceremonious removal of his belongings.
Lessons Learned
Reflecting on the experience, Mitchell admitted that this race taught him a valuable lesson about planning. “I mean, it’s not just about pacing yourself during the race,” he said. “It’s also about factoring in the post-race logistics. I should have built in a ‘running late’ buffer. Who knew that ultrarunning would include Airbnb time management?”
As he prepared to leave the race and head home, Mitchell also mentioned a newfound respect for the finish line. “I thought I was just racing against other runners, but it turns out I was also racing against the clock and my own poor time management skills.”
Future Plans
At press time, Mitchell was reportedly creating a detailed itinerary for his next race weekend, which includes ample time for recovery, packing, and a contingency plan for any potential late checkout requests. “Next time, I’ll definitely calculate my expected finish time… and then add two hours,” he assured, grinning as he loaded his gear into his car. “After all, nothing says ‘ultrarunner’ quite like being fashionably late.”