Well, I am no longer a first timer. I enjoyed the race alot and plan on racing more. The race started out pretty fast on the first flat section and was pretty easy up till after the Gravity Cavity. After the GC, the trail gets very muddy. I spent alot of the time running through the mud because of "chain suck". The downhill after the field was also very wet and slippery. I took one fall coming down, but made it without any serious injuries. The last section of the trail was horrible. The mud was thick and deep. I had to stop about every 15 feet because of "chain suck" (seems like the theme of the day). I made it past the last couple of uphills and was able to do a pretty good sprint to the end. I ended up finishing the race in second place.
 
"If you brake, you don't win." Racer Mario Cipollini