DIY Sports Drink and Immortality for "Meat Loaf"/"Beefeater"

This Tuesday is the Chase Corporate Challenge.  So, we do not have TRY at the normal place and time.  If you would like to attempt a group run, we are meeting near the normal place - probably a bit closer to the 0.0 marker at 5.  (With a courtesy 10 minutes to allow for traffic and parking woes.)  I recommend on-street parking in Liverpool.  We will start running at 5:10 and be done in plenty of time to cheer on our fellow TRYers that are doing the Challenge - which starts at 6:20ish.  (If you are cheering, please bring a cow bell.  If you don't have a cow bell, then please buy one from me.  I've sold more cow bells in the Syracuse area than a cow store.  I will have my phone on me, so anyone attempting to meet up, please drop me a text if you are going to be late.

It often gets mentioned that my running blog has very little to do with running.  (I guess that makes anyone who reads it a sucker?!)  Well, this week I have a very good suggestion for saving some money when you are hydrating when running or biking -
I stumbled upon a recipe for a homemade sports drink which offers a profile similar to what the name brands have - 50 to 70 calories and about 110 milligrams of sodium per 8 ounces.  This is a skeleton that allows you to swap in whatever flavor juice you want.  (I am passing this along with changes - I have not made it with orange juice.)

This makes a quart:
Ingredients
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup orange juice (not concentrate)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 1/2 cups cold water

Instructions
1) In the bottom of a large pitcher, dissolve the sugar and salt in the hot water.
2) Add the orange juice, lemon juice and remaining water; chill.
3) Use immediately or seal for storage.

I've made it twice (both times as a double batch, since I wanted more since I was going through the process) and it's "interesting". The ones I've done have more of that recovery drink type taste to them and I need to start experimenting to find out what contributes to the taste and what works well and what does not.  Supposedly you can leave the lemon juice out but then it won't taste as sweet?  And I'm going to try a weaker version to see what a watered down version tastes like.  What would honey do to it?  Maple syrup?

I've made it with an apricot/mango juice and a concord grape juice base.  I really thought the grape one turned out well and was the better of the two I've done.  I have no interest in an orange juice base (just seems odd) but should probably try it to make sure.  What would a lemon juice based one taste like?  Etc.

If you are like me and tend to get addicted to sports drinks when you exercise in the heat, this should give you control over what you drink, give you more flavor options, and also save a ton of money.  Assuming the prices I checked are typical, and the google conversions and my math were accurate, then the mix I made with grape juice cost me 38.2 cents per quart.  (Counting the water as free.)  I'll round up and call that 40 cents a quart, which makes me ashamed for the times I've broken down and paid gas station store prices for a Gatorade while desperate.  It's not like I drink Gatorade or Powerade for the taste anyway and the important part is the hydration and recovery.  (In case you care interested in the math, I came up with 15 cents for the lemon juice, 11 cents for the sugar, .2 cents for the salt and 12 cents for the grape juice.)  If you bought bulkier than I did, you could drive the price down a bit more.

Do try this at home and let me know how it turns out for you!

I saved this for last even though it should have been first.  Nothing I've done in the past few years of TRY has captured the current essence of TRY like this.  (And perfectly sums up the friendship between "Meat Loaf" and I.)  I can think of no better way to make sure that TRY leaves an imprint on the world.  And for Erin T. - who does not even get to use her own name with us - I give you the gift of immortality.  This is our very own term that TRY, Miss Tiffany and I have brought forth onto this world.  This did not exist in Urban Dictionary until I submitted it earlier this week.  Not just a new definition of a term, but a new UD team itself, here, in all it's glory.  (Yes, you have to click on it.  I promise it is legit and not a Rick Roll.)  Please read the example with Erin being the first speaker and me being the second (and back and forth).  I attempted to submit it with the names in place, but they rejected it, so I had to make it generic people talking.

Please vote it up while you are there, not that it matters since it's the ONLY definition...but might as well get the up votes accumulating in case someone submits a new definition in the future.