http://www.mnscs.com/ has all the details.

You have all been to races like this – the place you line up is the order you finish unless you

A) sprint the ‘prologue’ gravel road and the one 20 yard stretch of double track to move up.

B) riders are kind enough to pull off the trail to let you pass.

I did both and moved from middle pack to 3^rd place entering the single track. I emerged on the other end after an hour and a bit in second place in the 2^nd wave that I started with and 13^th overall.

I have no idea how the chap who got first in my age group managed to get first overall – how did he pass all those riders in the single track?

Fellow Crossniac Mike – where is the video of the race from the crotch cam?