WORS #10 Sunburst Showdown

Last year this became the muddiest race I have ever race or even seen for that matter! The skies opened up just before the Expert race, we were all scrambling for mud tires and it became a race of willing yourself to finish.
This year threatened to be the same. Rain was forecasted all week and when we woke up Sunday morning it was doing just that...raining. I quickly got on the phone for weather forecasts and conditions reports from a few of our teammates that were camping. Everyone was saying that it was going to be cloudy but no rain, so we loaded up with no additional gear and took our chances.
When we pulled in the temp was hovering around 52 degrees, I was wishing I brought more than just a sweatshirt to warm up with. We headed out to try and get our blood defrosted and start flowing. I got a good call up sitting 13th followed by Cathy getting a 9th position call up. Once on the course I knew this was going to be a fast race. We shot up the first climb like it wasn't even there. Next thing I know bamm we are at the bottom of the hill for the 3rd time. Wow this race was going fast! I really liked the layout of the course this year. It opened up nicely to get around traffic but still had enough single track to keep it fun. I was starting to pass quite a few women and still no Cathy. At last about half way through my 5th lap I passed her in the open field. She wasn't having the best race but was still throwing down with everything she could muster. Last time up the hill attacks were starting to get more significant. I was trying to hang with my group but traffic was really stringing us out. I took a glance over my shoulder coming up on the final time accross the hill only to see Jerry Long charging hard. I pushed the pace hoping my gap would hold him off. I checked one more time just before we headed down and around the ski lift and he was on my wheel. I sprinted and took the inside line a little too tight and hit the fence post with the edge of my bars. That sent me flying, I landed it ok but hurd a super loud BANG!! Here I had blown my rear tire completely off the rim! I jumped off and ran in with Jerry just sneaking by - yeah that might have been dirty but I would have done the same thing - that's racing!
This week it is raining again, we are supposed to get rain all week and then friday it is supposed to get nice down here but start raining in Hayward! I have never done the 40 during a slop fest but I can only imagine it isn't pretty.