PODIUMS GALORE SPEEDSTUDIO IS ON TOP
It was a weekend of close calls, relentless efforts, a little bit of heartbreak, and even more celebration! On the east side, Jeff “The Caveman” Caveney and Michael Roseberry aka “Berries” took on the Croatan Buck Fifty. That’s right, 150 miles of sand and suffering on the Carolina coast. Caveman finished second by mere inches in a dramatic sprint. He wrote an incredibly detailed race report—so detailed, in fact, that we decided to ask ChatGPT to summarize it for the sake of your inbox.
Somehow roped into a 150-mile off-road race on the North Carolina coast, I lined up for the "Buck Fifty" alongside Berries after a rough bout of food poisoning. The race featured two 77-mile loops with sandy singletrack sections that quickly split the field. Early on, I was in the front group navigating downed trees and brutal conditions, with Berries and a few others constantly pushing the pace. As the race progressed, attacks flew, gaps formed, and a select group of eight emerged before shrinking further. In the final stretch, I found myself in a two-man break with "Fast Dude #2," covering all his attacks but misjudging the finish line in the sprint, ultimately taking second. Berries finished strong in fourth, and now we look ahead to Hot Springs Gravel in two weeks. Full detailed report here.
Meanwhile, MG wrapped up his fourth straight race weekend at the Pace Bend Classic, still batting 1.000 on podiums despite carrying the weight of back-to-back brutal efforts, including the Valley of Tears death march.
Marked heavily after last year’s domination, he still delivered a show, finishing second on Saturday and taking the overall lead into Sunday. But just as he was set to defend his Pace Bend crown, disaster struck—a flat tire ended his campaign early. We’re not saying Texans have it out for him, but we hold suspicion.
But with every disaster, an equal or greater victory takes place somewhere in the universe…and lucky for us, this cosmic balance brought us a win in the Women’s category at Pace Bend! Shanon Callan, MG’s better half, took the win over a strong women’s field! And might we add this was only her 3rd race ever!
With wind at our backs and sealant in our tires, we will take a week to reset before the next battle. CLT heads to Hot Springs Gravel in just two weeks, and the crit season is right around the corner.
Weekly +SpeedStudio Saturday’s ride details in our Strava Club here.
MGR CORNER
Hey everyone,
I’m sitting here feeling the calmest, coolest, and most collected I’ve been in weeks. It’s been full gas since the season started—four weekends of racing, four podiums, and a thrilling start to 2025. I’ve gone all-in, and now, for the first time in a while, I can finally sit still and take it all in.
This past weekend at Pace Bend was phenomenal. My legs felt rough on Friday, but by Saturday, they had opened up, and I was able to blow a race up in my classic style. The early season always feels like an experiment—racing a little reckless, making bold moves, pushing limits, and embracing the chaos. It’s less about perfect execution and more about stacking fitness, hardening the race instincts, and seeing where I can find that extra edge.
I raced a little too hard Saturday, establishing the early break of 8 in the wind, before attacking the move and spending a while up the road solo. Outnumbered by multiple teams with 2-3 guys in the move I felt less than confident and decided I’d rather use the day as a big hard effort and see what I could do to soften them. I eventually reabsorbed, not having the legs to fight the wind alone, and we came to the final as a reduced break of 7. I attacked just under 2km to go, slightly gassed but joined by one, not having the final push to come around.
With the targets on my back, I raced a little dumb, but happy.
The weekend didn’t end the way I wanted. A flat tire took me out of overall contention, but honestly, I’m walking away with nothing but positives. The effort was there, the form is coming, and the fire is fully lit. It’s all part of the process.
Race fatigue is real. Four straight weekends of pushing the body to its limits takes a toll—not just physically, but mentally too. The constant cycle of travel, race-day adrenaline, and post-race comedowns wears on you in ways that aren’t always easy to articulate. The highs are exhilarating, but they also demand recovery. Fatigue lingers in the nervous system, making even the simplest tasks feel heavier. But we push through.
So now, for the first time in over a month, I have a weekend with no race on the horizon. And instead of feeling restless, I’m embracing the stillness. This pause isn’t just necessary—it’s valuable. It’s time to reset, let the legs and mind recover, and get ready for what’s next. Because the season is long, and there’s so much more to come.
Feeling grateful, feeling ecstatic, and most of all, feeling ready.
MG
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