Team CP community – what does it mean to you? To George Rzoska it means a lot and the feeling is mutual.
George singed up with Team CP in late 2018 – his main goal was to pass the running section of the Police admission test. Little did George know, when he first contacted James, he was about to open up a can of worms and turn himself into a runner.
For some of us, showing up to the first run group doesn’t seem like such a big deal, it may be that you are already fit or have some natural affinity for the sport. But for others, it’s a more daunting prospect, where you may be fearful of being judged about your abilities (or lack thereof), be too slow for the group, get dropped… George had all of these trepidations, considering himself a “chubby slow poke”, he hated going to gyms and was self-conscious about turning up to the Team CP run group.
However, rather than meeting the expected group of elite athletes and their judgmental stares, George was welcomed in the true Team CP fashion, with a massive Jacob La Mont smile and a cheeky Jen Halliday grin. George was blown away by how welcoming the group was and quickly transitioned to becoming a regular member of the Thursday night trail running group. He was stoked that there is no such thing as a “back of the group runner” at Team CP. It takes just one person to make a difference and we are very lucky to have multiple characters of this nature, who are always keen to add another person to the team.
While George was working hard to improve his running for the Police test, his coach James (in classic James fashion) sprung an idea on him – why didn’t he give a half marathon a crack? George laughed the idea off, not thinking he was “the sort of person” that could achieve such a goal – he couldn’t have been more wrong.
And no real accomplishment is ever earnt easily. George had to learn the hard way, his first half marathon (the Geraldine multi challenge) he said he blew up and was the last person to cross the line. But that didn’t discourage him and his strong determination and character gave him the tools to complete 8 half marathons in the last year (yes you read that correctly).
George’s sights have been elevated by watching his new friends achieve things he never thought possible – such as Jen and Jacob completing their 100 miler at Naseby and crewing Jenn at the 100km Krayzie Ks. Normal people (with exceptional calves) that you can relate to doing “extraordinary things”.
When reflecting on the mammoth list of events he has completed over the last few years, George pinpointed the Valley Ultra “piglet” race in Craigieburn (24Km) as being the one that had resonated with him the most. And no, it wasn’t because it was the easiest race where he ran a PB. George described the run as the hardest one he had ever done, he thought he had it in the bag until he turned onto struggle street at the half way mark and then rode a rollercoaster of emotions to the finish, which consisted of him dragging himself up a hill by a rope and slogging it out in true George fashion.
And yes, this story is entirely predictable – George has been caught by the bug that infiltrates most Team CP athletes, an ambition to see exactly what he can achieve with his newfound confidence. We are proud as punch to say that George has passed all the required physical tests for the Police admission programme and is now entered for the Krayzie Ks 50 km event, formally writing his name down to be part of the ultra-marathon racing community. Pretty epic from the guy who couldn’t fathom running 10 kms two years ago.
George is proof that tenacity is something you can grow if you are just willing to show up.
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