Sunday's Race--Felt Good!

I had been doing the A cross race despite my license saying a cat 4. (I jumped categories do to my training with cyclo-core over the past year). I was informed that I needed to upgrade my license on the USA cycling website. They would only allow me to upgrade to the B race. So I decided that I would podium in that race so I could return to the A group the following race. The group was very large and unfortanately I had to start at the very back. I am a little nervous attempting to move up on the pavement in a group that large because one wrong move and I will be sliding across the pavement or worse. I went into the trail in about 15th place which is way further back then I wanted to be. I was stuck for about 3/4 of a lap behind slower riders as the leaders got away. I finally broke away from the group in 7th place at the start finish line which was mostly pavement. I was on a lone break trying to catch up to a group which contained 3rd-6th place. It was exhausting trying to catch up on my own. I noticed that I two other racers were not too far behind me. I let them catch up to me and one of the two guys was an excellent technical rider that was faster then me through the curves. I sat on his wheel and we made our way up to 3-7th place with about 3 laps to go. I varied my position in the group from last to 2nd until 2 laps to go. With 2 laps to go we were able to drop 2 guys out of our group and were down to 3. I sat behind the two guys, all the while knowing that I would be able to drop them in the deep sand section followed by the hill. On the last lap I darted past them running as fast as I could in the deep sand and up the hill over some barriers and back to the road. When I looked back they were no where to be found. I finished the race in 3rd place. I would have loved to win the race but I think missing the 2 person break at the beginning made it too difficult for me to win.