Ok so here we are after 2 events, I could not participate in the first due to the shoulder issue, however the second event was definitly a learning curve.
 Day 1 Practice.
It was a hot as hell day, the humidity was waaayyy up, making it difficult to breath. Overall it was a good practice day, it gives you a chance to see the course in bright light and with no obstruction. it was a very slippery course to start with, lots of roots and wet rocks. I walked down the course eyeballing some different lines and some obstacles to avoid. This was followed by a few runs, the runs went pretty smooth but i did suffer some pain in my shoulder it was like a belt was tightening around the armpit area. this was something that bothered me for the day, but did not prevent me from riding. I was unable to really get a timed run in but i figured that i would fall in a time around 2:50: or so. I also took a helmet cam and watched that a few times in the evening. All in all it was a great practice day.
 Day 2 Race
Well overnight it clouded over and poured it cleared by morning but was still misty. We got to the course and registered and tried to get 1-2 runs in before hand. It was slippery before but now it was treacherous. had a couple of good runs in .. stayed upright , mostly just trying to get the lines right. The race started around noon, it was starting to dry a bit by this time, and the course was starting to get worked in. I managed to get the final shuttel up the hill and have one last look at the course before the race. All things were GO.
 My first run
Went pretty much as good as i could do i think, perhaps i could have made up an additional 7-8 seconds in dry conditions but mostly what it was is what it will be. The whole time i am thinking i cant fall due to my shoulder, so this is playing on my mind as well. i am sure this had an effect.  while waiting for the shuttle back up the hill... it poured. so the track is back to a slippery mess. i was quite happy with my first run, and felt "why push it and get hurt again".
 My second run
Honestly i dont think there was too many riders that had a faster 2nd time, it was super slippery. I fell twice on this run, at the top, i made it over the first drop with out any issue but at the turn at the bottom of the section i slipped on a root. then while trying to get back on the bike slipped again myself. after proceeding on through the most of the course i fell again at the bottom. there is a rooty steep section that crosses a brook, or ditch. after comming out of the ditch my front wheel got caught on a root and slid, bringing myself for a nice kiss of earth for the 2nd time.
Conclusion
I finished 13th in a field of about 23 with a time of 2:40 this was quite close to what i had speculated. It was a great weekend and i learned alot. The next race is this upcomming weekend July 11/12/09 at Middleton Nova Scotia. I have seen this course and it is going to be a fast pedally course. i am not too sure about my fitness for this type of course, however i am sure to take my all to it.

Thanks for reading
Sheldon