How 50mi World Record Holder Charlie Lawrence Treats Serious Injuries, Fuels his Ultras, and More

The Strength Running Podcast

The running world gets to watch in awe as elites set new records and perform incredible feats. But it’s not all rainbows and unicorns for these athletes. World record holders face injuries and challenges, too.

Charlie Lawrence set the record in the 50-mile distance in 2023, clocking in at 4:48:21. That’s an unbelievable average of 5:46 per mile. Charlie also ran his marathon personal record of 2:16 while qualifying for the US Olympic Trials Marathon for the second time.

In this episode, Charlie and I talk about:

• The glute injury and hip labral tear that led Charlie to pull out of the 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials
• The emotions behind dropping out of the Trials
• How a series of injuries in 2024 led Charlie to take almost 3 months off of running
• The treatment and recovery Charlie applied to heal from the injuries, including aqua jogging and pool running
• Using PRP (platelet rich plasma) and a levering off-load device on the treadmill to aid recovery
• An aggressive approach to ultra training and the mentality needed to make it work
• Being proactive in injury prevention, from foam rolling to activation work
• How Charlie trained to set a 50 mile World Record at a 5:46/mile average pace
• Charlie’s fueling strategies for ultrarunning and a World Record
• What running goals Charlie wants to focus on next

This is an inspiring episode for runners of any distance who could use a realistic take on performance and recovery from an elite runner.

Links & Resources from the Show:

• Charlie on Instagram
• Get strategies to prevent injury.
• Let me help you with your training!

Thank you Previnex!

After resisting most supplements for the better part of my life, I’m cautiously changing my tune. I’m now a Masters runner and in my personal life, I’m optimizing for longevity. I want to be my healthiest self for as long as possible and I’m excited to partner with Previnex to make that happen.

Previnex uses the most bioavailable, clinically tested ingredients, the optimal form and dose of each ingredient, pharmaceutical grade manufacturing, testing of raw ingredients and finished products. For every purchase you make, they also donate vitamins to kids in need.

Their new Muscle Health Plus is something I'm now taking. Turning 40 - and having a thin frame - has made me realize that I need to prioritize lean muscle mass to stay healthy and age well. Muscle Health Plus has creatine, essential and branched chain amino acids, and it's designed in a way to maximize protein synthesis and the absorption of amino acids.

Muscle Health Plus will help you prevent muscle damage, which is particularly important for aging runners who want to protect themselves from muscle loss and recover faster after hard workouts. As is true for all of their products, Previnex adheres to the highest of standards: their ingredients are clinically proven to do what they say they’re going to do.

Previnex offers a 30-day money back guarantee. If you don't feel the benefits of their product, you get your money back no questions asked. With their focus on quality and customer satisfaction, I hope you’ll try it! Use code jason15 for 15% off your first order at Previnex!

Thank you LMNT!

A big thanks to DrinkLMNT for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. They are offering a free gift with your purchase at DrinkLMNT. And this does NOT have to be your first purchase. You’ll get a sample pack with every flavor so you can try them all before deciding what you like best.

DrinkLMNT's products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day.

If you’re not familiar, LMNT is my favorite way to hydrate. They make electrolytes for athletes and low-carb folks with no Sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. I’m now in the habit of giving away boxes of LMNT at group runs around Denver and Boulder and everyone loves this stuff.

Boost your performance and your recovery with LMNT. They’re the exclusive hydration partner to Team USA Weightlifting and quite a few professional baseball, hockey, and basketball teams are on regular subscriptions. So check out DrinkLMNT to get a free sampler pack and get your hydration optimized for the upcoming season.