White Mountains 100

Well maybe I'm taking a dive off of the deep end, but I've signed up for my first 100 mile winter bike race, the inaugural year of White Mountains 100! I was going to do the Susitna 100 this year, but this one came up, and not only is it local trails and not-so-swingy weather conditions, but it's much cheaper (and that is an issue right now in life), and the timing is better since my thesis is due in February. I don't by any means claim to know completely what I'm in for, but I have been following these races for over 3 years now and have had the Su in mind since then. I am really excited and absolutely scared out of my mind but it came down to a "now or maybe never" deal after this summer. I don't plan on placing at all with the experienced competitors I'm up against, and I will only be "fully recovered" from surgery according to the doc just a month before the race, but I plan on giving a full-fledged fight to the end. Any advice that can be given is highly appreciated, too. Thanks to my friends who were all for it, and those who remained neutral with subtle encouraging comments letting me make the decision, knowing that if I didn't sign up I'd regret it. There's no turning back, now! Let the fun begin. :-)