From counting variables one moment to counting miles the next, math teacher and assistant coach Derek Zahn joins the Portola High Cross Country team.
In his personal time, Zahn runs a combination of shorter, easy runs and long runs a few days per week. When training for an upcoming race, he incorporates intervals on the track to test his speed. He has competed in 20 half marathons over the past two years and ran the LA Marathon, his first-ever 26.2-mile race, in March of 2023.
“When I get out there, it’s great to run in nature,” Zahn said. “It puts a smile on my face. It helps balance out the other stressors in my life. I’m a lot less stressed when I’m running consistently than when I’m not.”
As Zahn often trains with his friends every weekend at the beach, his dedication to this sport motivated the team, according to cross country member and junior Jayden Wang.
“My perspective of running changed after I met him, as I was able to see how dedication and motivation to run can really change your attitude while running,” Wang said. “I noticed that since he was so dedicated to running, it was a lot easier for him to continue persevering and fighting through the pain. I also noticed how he was able to mentally prepare himself a lot better with his dedication and his focus towards running.”
Zahn said he often looks toward professional athletes for inspiration as they make running fast look easy. For him, running is a way to stay active while having fun. He always makes the effort to push the runners to give it their all in races through words of encouragement and helpful tips.
“When [the athletes] are doing runs, they stick together,” Zahn said. “They make sure no one gets left behind, and so they keep that cohesive group and build those communities within where they’re pushing each other, trying to see how well they can do but also giving support when their peers need it.”
Running alongside his students, he distracts them with conversation, steering their thoughts away from how much longer they have and making runs more enjoyable, according to Wang. With his amusing conversations, Zahn has helped spark laughter before tiring races, according to cross country member and sophomore Zoe Leong.
“It’s really fun that he gets to run with us because I also like to chat and talk with all the coaches,” Leong said. “My favorite memory with him is when we were on the way back from Mount. Sac. We were talking about Halloween costumes with him, and we were thinking the coaches could be Alvin and the Chipmunks. So we said that he would be Simon from Alvin and the Chipmunks, then Rico Alvin, and then coach Takeshi as Theodore—and I thought that was just really funny.”
Looking to the future, Zahn said he wants to continue running alongside the athletes, encouraging them when workouts get tough and celebrating their achievements. He hopes to take lessons that others have taught him and pass on the advice to his athletes.
“It’s just really inspiring to see how he and his group of friends go to the beach every day or on the weekends to go run,” Wang said. “My cross country teammates and I do suffer a lot, but at the same time, we gain a lot of memories and experiences together and just build relationships that could last for years.”
