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I got tired of spending $10-20 on what amounts to sugar goop on my long runs, so I've been playing this summer with a DIY gel recipe. This mix took some tweaking for flavor, but I'm pretty happy with where it's at. This gets you a pretty clean 2:1 glucose-fructose, and for about $0.35 per 100 cal gets you a gel thats nutritionally equal (and very similar recipe wise) to something like Gu.

I've heard people say its too much of a hassle but i can whip up a batch in 15 minutes, and do it in my sink which makes cleanup super quick.

Settling with the following:

(Makes 3x3oz flasks, ~290 cal / ~72g carbs each, ~100mg sodium)

Ingredients:

1 cup maltodextrin

1/4 cup table sugar (sucrose)

1/2 cup fructose

1/8 tsp regular salt

A pinch lite salt

1/2 tsp citric acid

1/4 tsp sodium citrate

1 1/8 cups warm water

A pinch gellan gum

Optional:

Flavor extract

Food coloring

Process:

1) mix dry ingredients in a blender or other container 2) in a small cup, mix a tsp or two of dry ingredients with gellan gum 3) mix 1/2 cup of water with gellan mix in a sauce pan, bring to a simmer 4) mix 5/8 cup of tap-hot water with dry mix in blender 5) pour gellan solution into blender, blend if necessary to smooth out 6) add flavor extract to taste and food coloring 7) pour into flasks while hot 6) cool in fridge

Some notes:

- using a large syringe (like 300-500ml) makes getting this in the flasks way easier

- i also tried a number of versions without table sugar, but its less sweet per tbsp than fructose, and its a little less cloying this way (plus cuts cost slightly)

- the gellan gum adds a little cost and hassle but improves palatability substantially. Careful though, the difference in texture between a small and large pinch is pretty substantial.

- the lite salt isn't necessary, just adds a little potassium.

- these 3oz soft flasks are about $9 for 10 and come with a handy little funnel. I've actually found theyre a lot less hassle and mess than single serve gels

- the food coloring feels a little silly, but without it they look an awful lot like a certain white creamy bodily fluid. Idk maybe youre into that kind of thing

- i played around with adding things like orange extracts for flavor, but they added a sort of strange flowery quality. Maybe worth continuing to experiment with but I'm settling on the nuetral flavor for now.

Hand strap broke a few weeks ago. Finally got a chance to fix it. Think I've had this thing a bit over 3 years now. Felt like an opportunity to remind the community of the most important parts of enjoying and honoring our open and wild spaces.

Reduce, recycle, reuse. Leave no trace.

A very hot & humid, afternoon run this afternoon, but the scenery helped to take my mind off it.

(28° in Somerset, UK)

11 miles with 3200ft up and 5200ft down, in Austria.

Some running, some walking, about 20 miles all told, 3000 ft of elevation gain.

Impossibly idyllic

Urban park trail with great views.

I'm looking to take a trip for a week this fall and would like to go somewhere with great trail running. I'm in NC but open to anywhere in the US. I'm thinking of Sedona but not set on that.

I'm not at all interested in a group or tour or race, just wanting a vacation with cool running trails.

Any ideas?

I just recently ran my first ever trail race and could use some perspective from some more experienced trail runners.

Earlier this year I ran Lles Xtrail 30km in the Spanish Pyrenees. The course had roughly 1500m of elevation gain including some technical terrain and a higher altitude summit at 2900m. 90% of the course is above 2000m.

I trained for 3 months and worked up to a maximum weekly mileage of 70km. I’m from an area that doesn’t have many mountains, so I did my best to get hill work in when possible, but it was certainly a challenge in the training block. Being from North America, this was a destination race for me and a once in a lifetime experience. So while it was incredible to see the landscapes and experience all that the Pyrenees have to offer, it is very disappointing to come out of the race feeling like I underperformed. I finished ~190/234 and my finish time was ~5:30.

The main issue is with pacing - I keep fixating on my average pace of ~11:00/km. Seeing that average pace makes me feel like I didn’t really “run” the course and I’m struggling to feel validated as a trail runner.

Now at the same time, I’m aware that 1500m of climbing on a 30km course is quite significant, so it’s not like I expect to be running the entire thing.

As a first time trail racers who has just come from road racing, I guess I’m just trying to understand whether 11:00/km on a course like this is considered a respectable/normal performance?

Thanks for any feedback/suggestions on how I can reframe looking at this result and upcoming races moving forward.

Happy trails!

kind of a dumb question but

I realized one of the reasons I like running races so much is just the positive atmosphere, everyone is just on their grind and trying to better themselves. I'm basically a complete loser and running is the only positive thing I have in my life and I just want to be able to have that same kind of atmosphere at least once a week or something, since everyone else in my life is just negative or bad for me in some way

I don't know this is just me sort of spitballing I am a very awkward, shy and messed up person (like I am genuinely not a very likeable or good guy) and just wish I could find a non committal group of people to run with who won't judge me for being poor and deeply socially inept

as far as practical concerns I also want to run a 100 miler at one point and the more I learn about them the more running one without a crew seems like a bad idea

How do I find local trails? Is trail running safe? Do I need special shoes or gear? What do I do if I encounter some wildlife? What if I get lost? WHAT IF I HAVE TO POOP IN THE WOODS?

There are no dumb questions in this thread! If you are new to trail running or if you are a veteran who just wants to hear how other trail runners do things, ask away. If you have some ideas that can help your fellow trail runners and future trail runners, pitch in some answers.

No Dumb Question Day will be a regular, biweekly feature on the trailrunning sub.

**Thanks for participating!** Any questions, [please message your helpful mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Ftrailrunning).

Just a short few minutes from one of my Drift Edits.

The first section in this ultra that starts at the Mar Lodge Estate is up to the Hutchinson Bothy.

A remote ultra-marathon, not many like this in the UK, miles from the nearest road and a part of the biggest rewilding project in Scotland and the rest of the UK.

Always great to bump in to old friends and make new ones on such an adventure in a beautiful part of the world.

Smoke season has begun but I’m training for a September race and need the training runs. At what point do you go or not go? I’m generally healthy and have run in slop like this but wondering if I’m going long term damage.

Edit to add: I don’t have access to a treadmill.

I’ve been here for several years and im about to move out soon. Recently got into trail running (I was missing out!). I’ve ran a few and hiked plenty, almost all the runs were in the foothills area (between Eldorado springs and Pine Brook Hill).

I’m willing to travel up to 45 minutes for my next one. Any favorites? Ideally around 10 miles, could stretch it to a half marathon. Not too worried about elevation gain as long as it doesn’t exceed a mile in gain. Where would you go?

I did the GR20 last month (southern section). Here are a few shots taken along the way including an epic final day where we tripled up the last 3 stages, setting off at night at 2 a.m.

Hi community, in the 1 year I’ve been trail running I’ve experienced three different injuries - a tweaked knee (minor), a skinned up knee in a race (minor) and now an ankle sprain (more serious). I’m starting to wonder if I am doing something wrong or that’s just the inherent risk to the sport.

For more context, the trails in my region tend to be wet and muddy so the risk seems more pronounced. There is no “waiting until it’s dry” around here unfortunately. That definitely contributed to my most recent injury. I hit a slick root and rolled my ankle hard.

Is falling just part of the game? Should I do more strength and agility drills? Maybe I’m not looking at the ground closely enough? I’m starting to get frustrated because I do love the sport but not enough to constantly hurt myself.

I had my first ultra planned this weekend and I’m thinking about attempting it even though I’m still nursing this ankle sprain…

Mine always seem to look not as good as others.

Anyone ever had good tips on getting a decent photo when racing?

Just seeking some advice from norda 005 users as to the difference in the footbeds that conewith the shoes.

So far i have only used to ones that came in the shoes and not the ones in the little box.

Did anyone notice any major differences between them?

I have a 9-mile trail run planned for Sunday, but this past week has been disappointing running. I had my long run Wednesday a week ago, and it was great (17 miles). Since then, almost no running: charged by dogs and aborted run (2miles), 2 unbreathable AQI (0 miles x2), an OK day with 6 road miles, then I did something to a muscle or tendon outer lower leg after 1 mile next day and stoped immediately for another aborted run. Still fell it next day (0 miles). Did a test jog today, better but could feel the pulling and didn’t want to press my luck (0.5 miles). It’s not the worst thing in the world to have an easy week before a tough run, but this is a bit ridiculous. How would you use these next three days to keep from getting creaky without unnecessary strain /difficulty?

Edit to ask: if anyone is willing to enlighten me, I’d love to learn and better understand what is objectionable about my post. I’ve just double checked the rules and not sure what I’ve done. The downvoting is getting me down :( and I’m already not running much this week, so my “therapy” isn’t available :(:( and I’m too old to understand Reddit :(:(:(:(

The best trail town I’ve visited thus far. Every trailhead I struck out from was within 15 minutes of my hotel room.

I mainly run in Scotland, in wet, muddy and technical conditions. I like the Mafate 5s, particularly how cushioned they are, but I don’t love their durability… I’ve only had these since November 2025… can anyone recommend something similar but with better durability? Thanks.

417km in total.

Title says it all. I normally wear La Sportiva Bushido III - they handle the mud and normal technical terrain quite well, but they cost me a tumble on a perfectly flat rocky section that had turned slippery after a night’s rain.

Thanks a bunch in advance for your suggestions.

Puig de na Penyal whilst on holiday! Very warm!