Charles R. Lawrence

Charles R. "Charlie" Lawrence (born March 24, 1995) is an American ultramarathon and marathon runner. He set a 50-mile IAU World Record time of 4:48:21 at the 2023 Tunnel Hill 50 in Vienna, Illinois.

Early life Charlie Lawrence is the son of two cross country coaches. He was confident in his running potential from a young age. He said in an interview "I knew I was a runner in first grade. I watched a state cross-country meet and told my mom and dad, 'I want to win that, and I’m going to win that.'"

At Foley High School, he was a state champion in the 3,200-meter race and he set school records in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200.

Lawrence graduated from high school in 2013 and attended the University of Minnesota, where he got undergraduate degrees in Business and Sports Management and a Master's degree in Sports Management. He competed on the school's Cross Country and Track teams for five years.

His 50-mile ultramarathon record was ratified on January 16, 2024. He beat the previous record of 4:50:08, which was set by Jim Walmsley at the HOKA One Project Carbon X event in California, by almost two minutes.

Personal life Charlie Lawrence moved to in Boulder, Colorado in 2020 for the altitude and the competitive athletic environment.