We Are Superman

This year we have highlighted several runners who have logged incredible achievements in longer distance events at a young age. Remember Lauryn Wojcik, who had never raced longer than 6K and yet crushed the Leadville Trail 100? This next performance caught my eye, and the guy is right in my backyard. Boulder-based Charlie Lawrence last month broke the 50-mile world record previously held by veteran ultrarunner and current UTMB champion Jim Walmsley. Charlie is 28, self-coached, and his previous longest run had been 35 miles. He completed the distance in 4:48:21 at the Tunnel Hill 50 Mile in Illinois, averaging 5:46 per mile. I like that Charlie didn’t run it on a track or in an artificial environment, but in an actual race, on a mostly gravel surface with some hills. Charlie, a native of Foley, Minn., got the inspiration to challenge the record, which he was actually confident he would secure, from American two-time Olympian Des Linden after helping pace her to a 50K world record. After sitting out most of 20