Kan Kantapong on exploring balance and founding Cruise Control Run Club

Doi Trail Research had the chance to spend some time in Bangkok and connect with Kan from Cruise Control Run Club (CCRC) during Satisfy LSD #3.

The energy that day brought together runners from all different backgrounds. Some had been running together for years. Others were meeting for the first time. But there was a shared feeling across the group.

It wasn’t just about running. It was about being part of something.

This moment also came just a few days before CCRC celebrated its 2-year anniversary, which made the conversation feel even more meaningful. It felt like a natural point to reflect on how things have grown, and where they might be heading next.

At Doi, we believe every community develops its own way of building culture.

So this conversation is not just about CCRC.

It’s a perspective on what it means to create a space where people can come together, move, and discover something about themselves along the way.

1. How did you get into running, and at what point did you start to actually see yourself as a runner?

Growing up, I was never into sports, neither playing nor watching. I could not imagine myself even running one kilometer.

Around 2017, a co-worker signed me up for a race, so I had to start training. My first run was terrible. I could not run more than a couple hundred meters.

But the more I trained, the better I got. I could go further without stopping.

2. What inspired you to start Cruise Control Run Club, and what problem were you trying to solve at the time? Or what were your inspirations going into this?

There were two parts to it.

First, I joined a Run Now Fab Later event and had never experienced anything like it before. Up until then, it was just me and my wife running at Benchakitti or Lumphini. That run opened me up to the idea of a running community.

Second, around the same time, my wife and I did a virtual city run where we created our own route to collect checkpoints. That was our first city run, and it felt amazing to run outside the park and experience Bangkok in a completely different way.

Those experiences made me want to create a space where people could come together and explore different parts of the city through running.

3. What did those early days look like — how did you organize things, and what were the biggest challenges?

In the beginning, we only invited friends since we did not have a platform to reach a wider audience. As people started sharing our content, we gained followers on Instagram and later moved to Strava.

The biggest challenge was creating a safe and enjoyable experience, especially for city runs. As more people became interested, the risk increased. Running on Bangkok streets is not easy, so safety was always our main concern.

4. What makes Cruise Control different from other run clubs, and what do you think keeps people coming back?

I think the people who resonate with us tend to be gear-focused. They enjoy trying new brands, new shoes, and talking about technical details.

At the same time, many people have told us they feel safe and comfortable. They can be themselves. Whether they want to socialize or just run quietly, both are completely fine. What matters is that they feel like they belong.

5. In your opinion, what does a “perfect run club session” look like to you?

For me, it is when the group is small enough that I can talk to everyone at the end.

Through CCRC, I have met so many people from different industries that I would never have met through my day job. The running itself is important, but I can train on my own. What makes these sessions special is the connection with people.

6. As Cruise Control has grown, how did you maintain the culture that made it special in the first place?

We try to balance brand partnership events with our regular park runs.

We are very grateful for all the brands we have worked with, but the park runs are essential. They allow people to join without the pressure of sign-ups or content expectations that sometimes come with brand events.

They can simply show up and run. That simplicity is very important to us.

7. What has worked really well for you — and what hasn’t — when it comes to building your community?

I am still learning.

What has worked well recently is introducing more structured training sessions. Many people who joined us early on are becoming more serious about their running, and this format supports that.

What has not worked as well for us is more party-driven or high-energy formats. There are many run clubs in Bangkok with different strengths. Sometimes, I actually recommend brands to work with other clubs if I think they are a better fit for that type of event.

8. You’ve had many successes in the past couple of years. You’ve released your own clothing and worked with some of the biggest brands. And most notably, you’ve hosted Satisfy’s LSD in Bangkok, which is such an epic milestone. How do you define success for your club today — and do you think that has changed over time?

I still get excited every time a brand I like reaches out to collaborate.

But at the end of the day, success for me is simple. People join and leave happy. That is what matters most.

We have grown not just through social media, but through word of mouth. I often hear from international runners that their friends recommended CCRC to them. That, to me, is real success.

Big events are great, but having people from all over the world want to run with us means more.

9. As things evolve, do you see this as a run club, a brand, or something bigger — and what are you building towards next?

From day one, I have treated CCRC as a brand. We care about consistency in how we show up, both online and in real life.

For now, we are still focused on running, so at the core, we remain a run club.

What I am trying to figure out next is how we stay different and relevant in a very saturated space. I do not have all the answers yet. It is something I am still working through with the team.

10. At Doi, we believe that both Earth-made and man-made challenges exist for us to research more about ourselves. So what are you currently “researching” about yourself this year?

This year will be a big change for me, with a baby joining our family very soon.

What I am trying to figure out is how to balance everything. Continuing my running journey, managing the run club, and being present as a father and a husband at the same time.

I know it will not be easy, but I believe I can make it work.

Maybe we can catch up again in December at UTMB Chiang Mai and see how far I have come by then.