#2 Shoe covers are cheap. Fancy shoes with large buckles are slower than velcro shoes.
#6 - USAC Master's nationals are using UCI rules in regard of bike measurement.
#15, 16 & 17 - holding back a bit for the first 5 minutes will do you wonders.
#20 - it's only fun when it's over and when you've stopped coughing.
Long sleeve vs short sleeve - the only person who I've ever heard against them is old school Mike Burroughs. He doesn't like wrinkles in the fabric.