About Coach Kay
Welcome! I’m Kannan Sundararajan, also known as Coach Kay. My journey from engineering and project management to endurance coaching is about more than just performance—it’s about building relationships and helping people tap into their full potential, on and off the field.
I believe that every runner has a unique story, and my goal is to connect with each athlete on a personal level. With degrees in Mechanical Engineering, a master’s in Performance Coaching, and certifications from ACE and UESCA, I bring a science-based approach to training. But beyond the technical side, I’m here to guide you through every step, empowering you to become a knowledgeable, confident athlete who understands their own path to improvement.
The events I’ve created, like OOTYULTRA, Bison Ultra and Madurai Ultra, are more than races—they’re experiences that combine challenge, adventure, and personal growth. These journeys push limits in the best way, giving athletes a chance to discover new strengths.
Coaching Style
My approach combines years of sports experience with a genuine focus on connection, growth, and support. I use my decades of project management and consulting background to create clear, structured plans that help athletes reach their goals while building a strong foundation. For me, coaching is about empowering you with skills and knowledge that go beyond the finish line. As I like to say, Inspire someone to learn, and they’ll go far. Help them understand the journey, and they’ll become masters of their own progress.
I’m here to build a relationship that supports your long-term success, helping you thrive through every step of the journey. Let’s make this experience more than just running—let’s make it truly transformative.
My Love with Endurance Running
Here’s a glimpse into a journey fueled by craziness, passion, persistence, and the pursuit of endurance excellence. With years of experience across marathons and ultramarathons, each run has been an adventure to push limits, break barriers, and inspire others. From setting personal records to running for social causes and completing some of the toughest ultra-races, these journeys reflect my commitment to building both physical and mental resilience.
- Ultramarathons & Marathons
- Completed over 50 marathons and 20+ ultramarathons since 2011.
- Personal records: Full Marathon (FM) in 3:51 hours, Half Marathon (HM) in 1:41 hours, and 10k in 44 minutes.
- Special events & run for a social cause.
- Ran 42 marathons in 42 consecutive weekends (covering 1780 km) across India in 2015-2016 (10 months) to raise awareness of road safety and first aid.
- First-ever finisher of The Triangular Run Challenge, completing 500 km in one month in May 2019.
- Ultradistances
- Ran the Malnad Ultra 110 km in 2017 in 18 hours.
- Achieved a Back-to-back finisher title in the Comrades Marathon, a 90 km ultramarathon in South Africa.
- Finished the Vagamon Ultra 80k in 12 hours.
- Completed the JHU 75k run in 12 hours.
- Completed the Bangalore Stadium Run with 84 km in 2016.
- Completed the Chennai Nitros Attack Stadium Run with 86 km in 2018.
- Completed the 100-miler (160 km road race) at The Border 100 miler in under 27 hours and 59 minutes.
Coach Kay is a recipient of ALERT BEING AWARD – 2017 for being a Good Samaritan for saving lives and accident victims.
- The Safe Ultramarathoner (www.finishermag.com)
- How running left the jogging tracks and became a fun, community exercise (https://economictimes.indiatimes.com)
- Meet the ‘coaches’ who keep amateurs run-ready (www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
- Through the #helpkiran campaign, raised over 6.5 lakhs within one month to support an accident victim in Bangalore. Read about the #helpkirantoday campaign
Road Safety Campaign in Limca Book of Records
The 2018 edition of the Limca Book of Records featured my Marathon Safety Campaign under the human story section.
External References:
- One Man’s Extraordinary Journey and What Indian Railways Could Learn from It! (www.thebetterindia.com)
- One man’s extraordinary journey and what Indian Railways could learn from it! (www.citizenmatters.com)
- HELP 22-year-old Kiran who met with an ACCIDENT – KETTO FUNDRAISER PAGE (www.ketto.org)
- Bengaluru Marathoner Stops Mid-Way To Help Out An Accident Victim, Raises Funds For His Surgery (www.indiatimes.com)
- How to save a life: This Bangaluru runner stopped his marathon from helping an accident victim (www.thenewsminute.com)
- Bengaluru Runner Stops Mid-Marathon To Help Accident Victim, Raises ₹5.5 Lakhs For Treatment (www.scoopwhoop.com)
- Bengaluru Runner Helps an Accident Victim during a Marathon & Raises Rs 5 Lakh for His Treatment (www.thebetterindia.com)
- How a Bengaluru runner helped an accident victim during a marathon! (www.inuth.com)