The following article was written by Lin Gentling and features results from a record-setting day in Madison, WI, at the USATF 50K Road Championships on April 12, 2025. Gentling served as the USATF liaison to the event and is also treasurer of ATRA. All photos in the article provided by Lin Gentling.
For a race that does not have a great reputation for its weather, Saturday, April 12, proved the naysayers wrong with an absolutely perfect day for the Mad City Ultras. The morning dawned a bit chilly, with calm winds, and brilliant sun. Madison, WI, was the staging area and a stellar field had assembled including the 50-mile male and female world record holders as well as several runners who had been members of previous US 50K and 100K USATF National teams.
50K course
The Mad City 50K route is 5 loops of 10 kilometers around Lake Wingra in Vilas Park. While it would appear relatively flat, it is the back section that can test a runner as the kilometers progress with its undulating terrain.
There were 50 runners registered for the 50K USATF Championship division, more runners than have toed the line in previous renditions of this event. While there may have been favorites, no one was willing to predict who might cross the line as the national champion. Resting in the works was an automatic selection to the 2025 US 50K team that would compete in the 2025 50K world championship. Problem was that at this date the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) has failed to secure a venue for the 2025 rendition. Nevertheless, the show must go on.
Men’s race
Last year’s 100K national champion Adam Vadeboncoeur, 35 (Boulder, CO), 50-mile world record holder Charlie Lawrence, 30 (Boulder, CO), and Ian Carter, 30 (Flagstaff, AZ) who has a 2:16 marathon PR, led the race in a tight pack after the first lap running at a 5:31/mile pace. This group continued mostly together at the end of 20K, with Carter and Lawrence pulling only 20 seconds ahead of Vadeboncoeur, but all looking very strong and running controlled races. That second lap was almost a minute faster.
Into the third lap, the order remained the same with the 2 leaders increasing their distance over Vadeboncoeur by a total of 30 seconds, but still a tight race where there appeared no indications of any weakness. By the fourth lap, Carter had run out of juice and dropped from the race. Meanwhile, this left Lawrence in front by about a minute, followed closely behind by newcomers to the top three Ryan Root, 30 (Boulder, CO) who had snuck into the second spot and Jeffrey Seelaus, 30 (Walpole, MA). These three were running within about 1 minute of one another.
With only a 10K remaining, Lawrence was on a mission and looked strong and focused. He would be difficult to catch. But do not discount Vadeboncoeur. He is a very experienced road ultra marathoner and knows how to run these events.
Lawrence ran an incredible last lap gaining even more time on the field behind him. He crossed the finish line in 2:49:02, breaking the previous course record of 2:51:28:42, set by Tyler Jermann in 2023, to win the 2025 50K USATF National Championship.
Seelaus grabbed the 2nd spot in 2:53:38, followed by Vadeboncoeur in the 3rd position separated by a mere 13 seconds in 2:53:51. But even closer was Root trying desperately to run down Vadeboncoeur, finishing in 4th, only 4 seconds behind him. As a consolation for Root, both he and Johnny Rutford, 34 (Beaverton, OR), ran qualifying times for consideration for the 2025 50K national team should there be a 2025 50K world championship.
Women’s race
Similar to how the men’s race transformed, so to did the women’s race. With an incredibly impressive line up including the current 50 mile world record holder, Courtney Olsen, 37 (Bellingham, WA), the current Mad City 50K course record holder, Lindsey Prescott, 35 (Flagstaff, AZ), and Sophie Seward, 28 (Terra Haute, IN), college professor and a 2:33 marathoner. These three women hung together for the first 30K coming through the 10K, 20K, and 30K within one second of each other. Things did not get interesting until the start of the 30K.
While Olsen remained consistent with her 6:16 pace, Seward and Prescott fell off that pace losing 45 seconds and one minute respectively to Olsen by the time 40K passed. With 10K to go, it was a matter of Olsen running consistently as Seward and Prescott may have been feeling the early fast pace. Olsen’s experience running longer road ultras of 50 miles and 100Ks may have proven an advantage as Seward and Prescott are more 50K runners. In the end, all three women surpassed the previous course record set by Prescott in 2024 of 3:21:35.
Olsen crossed the finish line as the 2025 USATF 50K national champion in 3:16:45, crushing the previous record, while coming through only 50 seconds later and again running well under the 2024 course record, was Seward in 3:17:35. Rounding out the podium was last year‘s Mad city 50K winner, Prescott, bettering her 2024 time by 68 seconds finishing in 3:20:17. Allison Mercer and Emily Harrison Torrence also ran under 3:33 for consideration for the US 50K team should there be a world championship in 2025.
In addition to the USATF 50K championship, Mad City hosted a 50K open solo race, 100K solo race, and a 50K and 100K relay, so there was plenty of action throughout the day. Along with the outstanding weather, it was just a great day to run and to enjoy spring in the Upper Midwest.
Kudos to Nora Bird and her outstanding volunteers. Together they put on a race that clearly put the athletes as their priority and did most everything to accommodate their needs, assuring best efforts. Throughout the day, I continuously observed the incredible enthusiasm and pure joy expressed by Nora and her team. Special thanks also to Roy Pirrung who was our USATF official onsite and to Gregg Hipp, USATF LDR (Long Distance Running) Chairperson. Their support and presence at this event provided additional credibility to the 50K national championship. Visit this link for complete results.
Cathing up with the 50K champion
Following is a post race chat with 50K USATF winner, Charlie Lawrence.
What was your strategy going into the race? Expectations….
Charlie: My strategy was to not make a move until I knew it would be a move for the win. I had no intentions of leading unless it was absolutely necessary. Looking at the field prior I expected Ian to take the lead early and make his bid to win and run away with it at some point. He made that move at 8ish miles, which was a lot earlier than I expected, and Ian is a great runner so knew I had to cover that. I made my move when I felt the pace slipping and I knew I could stay on the gas all the way to the finish. That ultimately ended up being the last 10 miles.
Did the weather work in your favor?
Charlie: I would say that it worked in my favor. Temperature was great and not much wind at the start, but it did pick up throughout the first couple of loops. I stayed controlled and tucked in early, so I didn’t have to work into it a ton. I was solo into it after I made my move, and I had a head of steam, so was able to stay strong through the headwind, and hoped that the rest of the field behind me was working harder in it.
Did you run according to your plan….any surprises?
Charlie: For the most part. I didn’t plan on making my bid for the win at 21 like I did, but I smelt blood in the water and decided to go full tilt up the rest of the big hill and into the arboretum. I was initially planning on making my move the last loop, but felt confident in my ability to go for it a long ways out.
Was this a (50K) PR? (What is your marathon PR)?
Charlie: Yes, this was a 50k PR. My old 50k PR is from 2021 when I paced Des (Linden) to her 50k World Record. My Marathon PR is 2:16:10.
Best part of the race, any low points?
Charlie: I’m taking the easy route here, but the best part of the race was running a 5:11 on my 21-22 to break the race open on my way to winning. No low points, but I will say that I did not feel super comfortable the first loop, but felt a lot more relaxed the more the race went on.
What is it like having family and your college coach supporting you at your races as well as friends/team mates supporting you at your races
Charlie: It’s special, extremely special. I would not be in the position that I am without my parents, but especially, my dad. He’s was the one who helped me with training as early as elementary school, middle school, and really helped me on the mental side of athletics as well. Then there’s Plaz, Steve Plasencia, my college coach. He’s the single biggest reason why I still get to call running my full time job. He was so intentional with how he trained us in college, and made sure we would always have more to give to the sport after competing collegiately if we wanted to. To what capacity, I don’t know, but he’s one of the best in the world at setting you up for a post collegiate career after Minnesota. He’s now one of my best friends, and like family, so having him there along with my actual family meant everything to me. He’s been in my corner since I committed to Minnesota in 2011 and has helped progress my career to where it is now.
Charlie just signed a 2-year contract with Adidas. Any comment on your new sponsor?
Charlie: I’m elated to have signed a multiyear deal with Adidas. Contracts are extremely hard to come by in this sport, so to have the backing of such a powerful running brand like Adidas is something I don’t take for granted. It’s also purely a road ultramarathon contract, which I’m thankful for, because I really did not want to go to the trails just to get a contract to extend my time in this sport as a professional. Hopefully other brands follow suit and start looking at what’s possible on the road ultra front.
What is next?
Charlie: I’m currently working to figure that out. Short term is the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon to work on some speed before I go into an ultra build for a 100k World Record Attempt at Tunnel Hill in November. Hopefully we’ll learn about the 50k World Championships soon, because that’s a race I would like to contend for the win at.
Editor’s Note: For more articles from USATF Mountain Ultra Trail, visit this link.