Second in Canada or 50/50 Sprint

It is almost a month after COC10 is over, but there is no even a day for me not thinking about that Sprint race. I spent lots of time to analyze what happen and why I get so far behind a leader. I asked myself what could be done differently and why I did not do so. There is only the part of my analysis:

As soon as I get to the sprint area, I realized that there are lots of buildings and most of the choices will be 50/50. I knew I should not stop even for a sec. I was starting the last, so I tried to avoid the finish area because there were announcements about present winner time. I changed and warm-up perfectly as I planned. I did not feel any pressure; it felt like it was training. I had some empty feeling though.

I started behind the building across the finish area. As fast as I turned around the building, people started to scream. I ran straight and was hoping to run so in the woods, but they were too green and I followed the path on semi-open area till road and to CP#1. CP#2 was easy to come back to field and run downhill with fence corner as an attack point. CP#3 was the most surprising for me. I lost on it ~15sec to a leader. I ran hard till the trail and uphill till the flat, than right on the boulder. I probably should go straight as a leader did, but I remember it was a rocky area, I still do not understand, how? CP#4 was easy. CP#5 too, but on a way I checked 16 and 17. From CP#7 I could go right or left. I went in the way I should not stop (left), plus I should not stop on CP9 after. It was a smooth run. I lost to a leader ~ 1-2 sec there on speed. CP#11 was my only mistake at this race. I should not cross the line. On CP#14, I checked the legends and I knew that the flag is in the bottom, so I stayed low and picked it up with no lost. CP15-16-17 was same routes as I ran before. Coming to last CP, I saw many people were cheering for me, so I pushed hard (5 sec to a leader :).

I punched last CP and started to finish, but I realized I did not see a light flash (b/c people was taking photos) and I did not hear a noise (b/c of announces that I am running for the top place). I was so focused on punching all CPs clear that I even did not realized how, but I turned and punched it again. I lost few sec there, but it was not close anymore.
I lost around half a minute on a 2.8k course. It is a lot. I was losing 1-2 sec at almost each split. I could not run faster- b/c of sickness I had few days before or not training harder. I had cleanest Sprint race of my life at NAOC (9th place overall or 5th North American with 2 sec lost to 3d), Sprint Chase was phenomenal race (I won it with 15 people running in 1 min chase), and COC Sprint was another perfect race, but just not my day.

It is a right time to go through it and move forward for Ontario Champs by GHO (Long and WRE Sprint), US Classic Champs (total of 2 long courses) and Hammer Raid 25k in Hamilton, as the last race of the year.