👉🏽 Coaching with Kerry 👈🏽

From the gruelling hills of KwaZulu-Natal to the world’s toughest ultra-races, Kerry Koen has lived the journey — and now she channels all that she has experienced into coaching with heart, grit, and first-hand insight.

Kerry’s calling card is her performance in Comrades Marathon: she has completed multiple Comrades “Ups” and “Downs,” consistently proving she belongs among South Africa’s elite ultra-runners.In 2012 she finished sixth overall — and was the first South African woman home — earning the coveted Comrades Rose and solidifying her reputation on the ultra-running stage. Read more at ModernAthlete.

Her road-running accolades don’t end there. At the World 100km Championships in 2011 she placed a remarkable ninth — a top-10 world finish that proved she could hold her own on the global stage. On shorter pavement courses, Kerry notched numerous podium finishes across marathons and half marathons, building speed and endurance that would serve as a foundation for her ultra-distance success.

But Kerry didn’t stop at road ultras. She evolved into a versatile endurance athlete — embracing the trails, mountains and mixed-terrain challenges. Today she combines ultra-marathon, trail running, and gravel/mountain cycling experience. That breadth allows her to coach across disciplines, helping athletes build resilience, adapt to varied terrain, and thrive beyond the asphalt.

Her journey — from a varsity athlete to an internationally-ranked ultra-runner — gives her unique insight into the physical, mental and emotional layers of endurance sport. As a coach, she doesn’t just draw up plans; she draws on lived experience — the aftermath of 100km races, the hill repeats, the long runs, the transitions between road, trail and gravel.

If you want to train for anything from marathon to mountain ultra — or transition between disciplines — under the guidance of someone who’s done it all and understands what it takes, Kerry Koen is your coach.

Empowering, Educating & Inspiring Women Through Running

“Through personalised coaching, my goal is to enable, educate, inspire, and mentor female runners—from complete beginners to advanced athletes. Whether you want to start running, improve your fitness, complete your first 5km, or prepare for an ultra-marathon, I provide the structure and support you need to thrive.

I believe deeply in life-long learning and continuously stay updated with the latest developments in sports science, training methodology, and strength and conditioning. Coupled with years of personal racing experience, this helps me craft customised training programmes that target specific outcomes and maximise each athlete’s potential.“

Kerry Koen’s Experience & Notable Results

Comrades Ultra Marathon

Multiple finishes
Coaching expertise rooted in first-hand experience with South Africa’s premier ultra-distance race

Two Oceans Ultra Marathon

2 Gold Medals
Personal Best: 3h57

World 100km Championships

2012 – 9th Position (Top 10 finish)

South African Marathons & Half Marathons

Numerous podium finishes (2011–2013)
Extensive experience across road racing distances

Trail Running Achievements

Wins in multiple KZN single-day and multi-day trail events
Cape Wrath Ultra (Scotland, 2023)
Numerous Hong Kong ultra-trail races
Participant in Ultra-Trail Drakensberg (UTD) and Ultra-Trail Cape Town (UTCT)

Mountain & Gravel Cycling Events

Finisher: SANI2C, BURG 100
3rd in age group – South African Gravel Championships (2023)
Completed Grand Fondo Karkloof and Underberg (2023)

👉🏽 Coaching with Kerry 👈🏽

“I run because it’s so symbolic of life. You have to drive yourself to overcome the obstacles. You might feel that you can’t. But then you find your inner strength, and realize you’re capable of so much more than you thought.”

—Arthur Blank