Sorry, this is a long race report for a mediocre race, but what the hey?
The course was a 1.7 mile lap, about half uphill and half downhill, with several 90 degree left turns and two tighter-than-90 lefts. My field was scheduled for 12 laps to make about 20 miles.
The race started with a neutral lap to a rolling start. The 4/5 men, the Citizens, the 4 women, and the Juniors were all racing together. (Edit: I was one of I think six women, there were 3 juniors and maybe 15-20 men.) My strategy was to stay with the 4/5 pack as long as possible, so when the promoters announced that the women would start 30 seconds behind, I grumbled and they let us start together. It didn't do me much good though. I chose my position, rolling forward through the pack on the backstretch climb to make sure I was with the front third or so. But that put me on the inside of the tightest curve. Now, I'd asked during warmup that this curve be swept because it was a gravel pit. They said that was the reason they delayed the start. But I got there and the gravel was as bad as ever or worse! I nearly bailed as my front wheel slid drastically and I struggled to recover my steering, and I did lose my place and fell to the back as the guys observed, "Guess we won't choose the inside line".
So I was right at the back for the roll across the start/finish, and the sudden acceleration as the race started took me by surprise. So did the first turn, which was a left onto a driveway; I took it poorly, sandwiched between some people who seemed shaky, and I ended up stupidly tapping my brakes. So I was already chasing by the time we hit the first uphill stretch. I ended up grabbing draft briefly from another guy off the back with me, until he hit that gravelly turn and nearly bailed himself. Again with the brakes, and I had zero chance of seeing the pack again. For the next several laps I was time trialling. I'd focus on another straggler, catch them, drop them, and go again. My amazing man shouted updates and splits at me, so I knew when the pack was lapping me.
I jumped on the pack and the draft was sweet, sweet relief. I sat in for a lap, making sure to go when it looked like attacks were being attempted. The next lap I got frustrated at the slowdown on the downhill and attacked a little myself! I was back at the back by the uphill though. Another lap and we were seeing 2 to go (I figured I was a lap down and should expect 3 to go) and a team with three riders planned an attack up the hill within earshot of me. When they went I rode hard, jumped out of the saddle, but still watched the pack pull away. I was time trialling again for the last lap, passed a guy, and suddenly they told me they were finishing everyone together -- I was done! I knew I never got passed by any women (though I lapped one, maybe two), and started out behind only one other...sure enough, second place! I won $10 cash and a wheel bag. :)
