Spring has arrived!

So this past weekend we finally had nice weather all weekend. I took advantage of it by racing in Colorado Springs. Peter, Chris, Abby and I drove down on Saturday morning to get to the Springs in time for the crit in the afternoon. The weather was actually hot, at least compared to the weather we've had recently. By race time, it was probably close to 75 degrees. This race was a new step for me because it was my first collegiate A race, meaning that I am now racing with the big guns. The crit was hard from the gun. The group got strung out immediately, and my heart rate shot upward. In fact, I couldn't find a single place on the course to rest, as I was just trying to hang on for dear life. I lasted about half the race (28 min.) and finally got gapped after the tight U-turn on the course. That was the end of the race for me, and I got to go sit in the shade and catch my breath while the rest of the guys battled it out. I was kind of disappointed, but after all, it was my first A crit and the course was not well suited for me due to the power climb on each lap. After the race, we grabbed some food, then took a much-needed nap. We went to Carraba's for dinner, which was quite entertaining, and then went back to the hotel and crashed. Sunday was the Air Force road race. Our race was 5 laps on a loop that was roughly 13 miles. This time, the course suited me pretty well because it had a long, steady climb in it. I took 4th in the B's last year at this race, so I was confident I could do alright in the A's. Unfortunately, however, it was a really windy day, with gusts reaching close to 35 mph, which made the race a little harder than I anticipated. I hung in the main group for 3 laps, then stayed with a small group off the back of the lead group for the 4th lap, and ended up soloing the 5th lap. I pretty much hit the wall on the last lap and came in roughly 10 minutes behind the winners, but I was proud of myself for hanging in and finishing the race, seeing as many of the riders dropped out. I think just because I finished, I guaranteed myself a top 20... I'll take it. After the race, I got to drive an hour and a half back to Boulder, and we made it back just in time to see the ridiculousness of the 4/20 celebration, although we did not partake.