Relieved

Tonight was the 4th Pacific Raceways Tuesday night race of 2010. I had only done one so far (the first one on the flat course 3 weeks ago). My training since then had gone down the tubes, due to weather and a nagging lower back issue. The back was so bad that I decided not to go to Maupin, OR next week for what would have been my 5th straight Deschutes River TT Festival. I also purchased a new Lynskey titanium cross frame and some titanium cross forks with my trip money, but that is another issue. Suffice it to say that I have not put in the rides I needed to this year.
The weather cooperated today and was very pleasant for the Pacific NW=Partly cloudy, wind and cool. My back was feeling a tad better so I opted to go race. The course was "Down the Escape Route" (a 300 meter or so long straight descent on very rough surface). It was my 2nd least favorite course out there and I usually "yo yo" off the back but finish with the pack. O dod crash on te course hard in 2006 so have some residual issues with the course.
Anyway, a nice intimate field showed for the 4/5s and I hung with the group for the 40 minute (8 lap race). No crashes and nice weather meant a good race. I did get dropped on the 3rd lap ("prime"), but reintegrated when I stayed on the back of a small chasing group. I did let the main group go at the end of the small climb at the end of the last lap, quite content with my performance given the last few weeks.
All in all quite relieved to have stayed upright and to have stayed with the pack. I am saddened that I am not going to Maupin in a week, but can't wait to ride my new Titanium cross w/Campy Record 10.
All the best to my teammates.
Ty (aka Saddledancer)