Couldn't beat the heat

The picture says it all
I have to start by talking about the training camp on Sat. It went well and we had a little practice in the rain.When me and Sam got there they were going to do some video for channel 11,so we gave the media some shots and Jeff did an interview,and carried on with the camp.I didn't know that that guy was from channel 11 untill the next day when mikes like "did you see the footage on the news last night" If I would have known I would have recorded it.oh well.We just rode around and talked to the group giving them advice and what to practice.There was 8or 9 people in the group,which is about how many Mike wanted.
I'll just jump right to the race.On the start line I was in about the third line back which was fine for me since the first mile was flat as a pancake.In the first hundred yards I see this guy totally endo over his bars and his bike flew over his back and almost bounce over a 12 foot fence, ouch that hurt.After the first .5 mile in the airport field there was a 90 degree corner around a fence ,over a road and into a 6 foot wide trail.now imagine 100 riders doing like 30mph and pushing and shoving to get a good position.I managed to weave through the cluster and stick on Hollywoods wheel after a couple of agressive moves before the single track.Lap one went pretty good. Me and Sam stuck together through all the rooty, bumpy, twisty, windy singletrack. And managed to work our way up the field.By the end of lap 1 I already drank both my water bottles and the humidity was starting to affect me.At the start of lap 2 to my suprise we caught Paul Hanson and his team mate Justin R. For that whole lap Justin paced for Paul while me and Sam sat in.We were all suffering and our concentration and reflexes were horrible. I almost went down like 3 times on the roots but had some marvalous saves,like when Sam almost took me out in a corner...we were going down a 4-wheeler trail about 25mph,I was right on Sams wheel when he took this like 150 degree corner into the single track,and I just locked up the brakes and skidded sideways yelling Go! Go!My front wheel stopped just shy of his rear wheel.
At the end of the 2nd lap in the water station while I was getting some much needed water a group of about 5 riders charged hard right past us.By the time I knew it everyone was pulled away.I managed to catch Justin and ride with him for a while,But Sam and Paul were able to stick with that other group and dropped me and Justin.As the lap went on Justin dropped and ended up DNFing while I put it on damage control and thought about just finishing.I couldn't drink enough water.I would only see Mike once each lap and I would slam the bottle that he gave me right away.With 3 miles to go I made a sudden movement to catch myself and my left calf went ping and I had one of those really bad cramps.But I kept on going and finished with no one around me.
My fitness was good. The legs and lungs were just fine.My Knee felt fine.It was the first hot, humid ride for me.I haven't had any training in this kind of weather yet,but that will change and I believe I'll feel better for the next one.The course was 32 miles total time-2:18,place-10th age,38th overall Sam halled the whole way pulling for Paul but Paul got him on the sprint and Sam had a time of 2:14,place-7th age,21st overall.