As Serena’s marathon day on October 5th quickly approaches, her training has taken a focused turn. Over the past few weeks, she has been testing different ways to fuel her body during long runs. After trying countless energy gels, gummies, bars, and various brands of electrolyte water – many of which caused stomach discomfort – she’s finally found the perfect combination. Serena now relies on plain water in her hydration vest, along with a couple of 6oz bottles mixed with LMNT electrolyte powder. For energy, she’s discovered that GoGoSqueez applesauce with veggies and raisins works wonders, giving her the natural boost she needs without upsetting her stomach.

On a personal note, Serena’s daughter has recently moved to New Hampshire to begin her new career after passing the bar exam. She’s also started playing rugby, which has shifted her focus away from running. While Serena misses having her daughter as a workout partner, she’s been encouraging her to stay active. They had planned to do a trial run of the marathon course together, but her daughter had to cancel last minute. Luckily, Michelle stepped up and volunteered to bike the course with her. However, the duo accidentally took a wrong turn and ended up biking 29 miles – far more than planned! The hills proved to be a challenge, and Michelle has vowed to avoid future long training days with Serena. We don’t blame her!

Now, with just a few weeks left until race day, Serena is focusing her training on conquering those hills. She knows that mastering them will be crucial to finishing the marathon strong.

Stay tuned for the next update after the race to hear how Serena’s marathon journey unfolds!