First Attempts at Teamwork: Partially Successful

The Wasabi Warriors of CAWES rolled into DC for Chantilly Criterium and Carl Dolan "Road Race" (it was more of a crit with a little hill).  Chantilly was my first team race of the year, and the first time I'd ever participated in a team race plan. I didn't know what to expect, and I was nervous that I would fail to execute my job. We started by launching attacks and responding to others. Ky and I got in the most promising break of the day, but it didn't stick. We worked with the windy conditions to keep the pack strung out all the way until the final sprint. Sarah and Nikki began the CAWES leadout train, and I wiggled up to Nikki with our sprinter on my wheel. Mitch came around me with perfect timing and secured 2nd place for the Pistachio Princesses. I managed to salvage 4th place without completely going into cardiac arrest

The next day's weather seemed perfect to reveal our new white kits without the risk of rain. The weather report didn't mention blood! Several laps into the race, a bad crash caused us to be neutralized while an ambulance came. With the remaining laps reduced, the outcome was sure to be quick and sprinterly.  Ky started to string things out with 2 corners to go. I came next, pulled like hell up the little hill, and then Mitch came around me and told me to sweep. Not being very good at responding to developing situations, I was elated to receive such specific instructions and tried to protect her wheel. The next thing I knew, I was hitting the pavement in a field sprint crash. Mitch took 3rd place and the 2nd CAWES podium of the weekend, and I emerged with my first DNF, a busted kit and helmet, partially intact self-confidence, but still some satisfaction with the teamwork.

White is the new green

Determined to regain my confidence and salvage some training volume after the shortened race, I borrowed a helmet for the Dolan men's 123. The field of 100+ was big and squirrely, and I was spooked. After crashing just an hour earlier, I forced myself to stay in it and learn. I took a glorious...er...um...45th place, but most importantly, learned some handling lessons and got *slightly* more comfortable in a pack.

Here I was the next day at work, drafting skills compromised and design skills suffering from the bonk to the head...