Charlie Lawrence
50 Mile World Record & 100km American Record Holder
Charlie Lawrence is an American ultramarathon athlete known for redefining what’s possible over extreme distances. Originally from Minnesota, he built his reputation through relentless training and an unwavering commitment to endurance at the highest level.
In 2023, Charlie made history by setting the world record for the 50-mile ultramarathon with a time of 4:48:21. He followed that up in 2025 by breaking the American record for the 100 km with a 6:07:10 performance, one of the fastest times ever recorded for the distance.
"Daily Discipline, in running, is easy. It's showing up, doing the training that I need to do that day to the best of my ability, and then being disciplined and consistent in how I absorb that training through fueling, recovery, and sleep."
- Charlie Lawrence
What is your pre-race ritual?
My pre-race ritual is the exact same as what I do on workout days. Wake up 3.5 hours before the race/session, 1000mg of electrolytes right away, eat the same meal, add some extra liquid carbohydrates with that meal, activation (foam rolling and band work), change, go to race and sip extra carbs on the way, 3 mile warm up, drills, strides, change into super shoes, extra gel, go compete.
What is your favourite meal after a workout?
I might be the most routine oriented person in the world. I make the exact same smoothie after every single run, long run, track workout, tempo run, you name it. So post-workout it's always my smoothie. I know how it helps with recovery for my second run of the day, and I know that it sits well in my stomach, and because of that it's my favorite "meal"!
What are your non-negotiable items going into an ultra?
I always have to have the same pre-race morning routine, which has a heavy emphasis on hydrating, fueling, and priming my body, to make sure all systems are firing.
What got you into running?
My parents initially got me into running and sports in general, but what initially got me into competitive running was my mom allowing me to come to practice as a 2nd grader and trying to beat all of the 7th and 8th graders. That competition and winning against much old kids was an addictive feeling and something that drives me in this sport.
Running is all about consistency - what inspires your daily discipline?
I think what inspires my daily discipline the most is knowing that the more disciplined I am, the better chance I have of an outcome that I will be happy with. Nothing is guaranteed, often far from a guarantee, but being disciplined and consistently disciplined gives me a better chance. Winning and breaking records in this sport is hard, and not winning or getting certain records bite, so that's what drives a lot of my training and consistency.