Since he started running cross country for Technology High School, senior Aaron Derango has run 2,000 miles, equal to the distance from Rohnert Park, California to Denver, Colorado.
“Every cross country and track season is around four months each, and I’ve been on those teams every year,” said Derango. “The thing that motivates me is looking back and seeing how much I’ve improved over the years. I’ve kept records of all my times in high school, and I can see the progress I’ve made since then.” Derango states that all the time he put into training has paid off, leading to some sort of gain after every race.
Derango said having endurance is an essential attribute for being a successful runner, especially in cross country, a sport that has an extensive amount of miles and hills. “It is something that you need,” he said. “But to build up that endurance, you need dedication, persistence, and patience. The improvement is gradual, and you need to consistently keep getting runs in. The sport is about making your body stronger, and even for me, it has taken time to build up my body to do the things I’m doing today.”
In his four years at Technology High School, Aaron Derango has burned through a pair of his favored running shoes, “Hoka’s” each cross country and track season. “So, I must’ve gone through at least six pairs, if not more, in the past three years.”
Of all the courses he’s run, Derango said the “coolest” course was down in Half Moon Bay. “On that course, there is a huge hill that goes up 100 feet at a 40 degree angle. Going up the hill is incredibly hard. My legs are always sore when I get to the top.” That was only in the middle of the race–he still had another mile to go before he finished that race. 
Derango found his first opportunity to run at age seven when he discovered his elementary school had a running club. “Even at that age, I was a very active kid, so I thought it would be nice to try it out,” he said. “We would do laps around the campus, so each week I went out to try to get in an extra lap each lunch. Eventually, I figured that I could also run outside of the club too, and ever since, I’ve continued running.”
In the many races he has participated in over the years, Derango said the best race he performed in actually wasn’t his fastest race. It was on a course in Hayward and it was extremely muddy from the rain. “There were about 200 runners in that race, and everyone was slipping and falling over. However, I focused on finding my footing, and I was able to work my way through the field to finish 9th. And that would be the race that qualified me for State.”
The senior runner said, “My overall goal as a runner is to always keep improving. Along with getting faster, this could be improving my diet, my stretches or drills, or other things that will make me a more efficient runner. Last year in cross country, I qualified for State, so that is my main goal going into this season.”
Derango is eager to continue running in his future, especially going into college. “I’m hoping to get a scholarship, but if not, I’d still be grateful to join any team and to be able to race in the future.” As of the last two years, Aaron Derango has had his most successful cross country seasons. He qualified for the California Interscholastic Federation, placing 127th in 2024, and 118th in 2025, representing how much work and time the senior put into his sport.
