Race report: Ouch!

First of all, FCCC did an awesome job with the course layout for the Como Park race today! A sweet twisty run-up, a ride-up or run-up depending on your ability, some tight fast turns and a barrier at the top of a short hill rewarded those who've been working on their skills. Just enough grassy or paved section in between technical sections for a rest and chances to pass. A really well laid-out course!
__So after finishing poorly yesterday, I decided to torture myself some more today and do both the C and B races. After doing about as well as I did yesterday in the C race, but having a lot of fun with the course, I lined up for the B race. Not wanting to get in anyone's way, I sidled up about halfway back. I've also been wondering if I might have exercise-induced asthma, so I'd taken a couple of puffs of Lynne's inhaler. I was holding my own in the B race, top half for sure going into the third lap, and feeling good. Got girled by Linda Sone on the second lap, but no shame in that. Was about to get girled by Karla in the third lap (I think) and was getting a bit cocky as I was moving up in the field and took the inside edge of a tight, fast grassy corner that I'd been counting on each lap to pass a rider or two and the bike slid out from under me. I think the pedals must have slammed my knee hard because when I got back on the bike it was hurting and getting worse.
__So, like the poofer I am I abandoned. I figured it's better to take it easy and race another day than to injure it more, and I wasn't taking the B race too seriously anyway since I knew I'd get schooled. In spite of the injury, I really had a lot of fun with this course. I was catching air each lap in the singletrack section where there was a little bump, which was fun. Since the knee kept getting worse we headed home early to ice it up and fix the cut. It's really too bad, though since I was having so much fun, in spite of working so hard.