summer Archives - Through Heather's Looking Glass

10 Tips for Running in the Heat

June 4, 2019 by Heather Leave a Comment

*10 Tips for running in the heat originally published in 2016, updated June 2019*

As the weather warms up, it’s wise to take a few minutes to think about how this will change your runs. (because newsflash: it will change them, especially if you live in the south like me!) If you don’t plan ahead, you may be setting yourself up for failure (or heat stroke!) so be careful and make sure you are prepared. Here are my 10 best tips for running in the heat.

10 tips for running in the heat

1.) Sunscreen sunscreen sunscreen! Also, for really long runs, I reapply after an hour. I try to find more “sweatproof” ones, or ones made specifically for my face or body etc. as I am more prone to breakouts. Not only is not wearing sunscreen setting yourself up for skin cancer, but it sure will make you miserable for a few days!

2.) Wear a running hat or visor. I always feel so much cooler not having the sun directly on my face. Plus it will help fight against wrinkles and sun damage and can help keep sweat out of your eyes.

3.)Hydrate ahead of time, and bring water with you. Don’t wait until you are already thirsty to start drinking water. Begin hydrating the night before and the morning of your run. I have a small insulated cooler I pack my drinks in with an ice pack so I can grab them at the car as needed. I also like Gatorade/Powerade because I sweat a lot and need to replace some electrolytes. Nuun and coconut water will do the trick as well. I occasionally take gels or Gu’s or straight salt packs.

4.) Wear loose-fitting moisture-wicking fabrics. Cotton is never your friend as a runner, but particularly when you are sweating a lot. Your shirt will get really heavy and may cause chaffing and rubbing. Quite frankly, in the summer I prefer to just wear a sports bra and no shirt, then I can feel the breeze directly on my skin. Don’t worry about who is looking at you, when you feel like you are running on the surface of the sun, who cares right?

5.) Try to run early in the morning or after the sun goes down at night. Between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM is when the suns rays are the worst, so avoid those times if possible. It will still be very warm in the evening, especially with heat coming up from the pavement warmed all day, but when the sun is down it feels nicer!

6.) Pace yourself. Don’t expect to have an awesome training run in which you PR at noon in July. Stop or slow down if you need to. Be realistic about your expectations, and live to fight another day. Remember, winter PR’s are made in the summer, so just keep going and don’t stress about running slower!

7.) This goes with number 6, listen to your body! If you start to feel overheated or dizzy/lightheaded, walk, or find some shade and take a break/sit down. One run is not worth your health.

8.) If you must run in the heat of the day, run short. I know some people may not have an option due to childcare, work, or other obligations, but if you must run in the middle of the day keep it short, or use those days for slower easier runs.

9.) Washcloth trick: Put a wet washcloth in the freezer, then carry it with you on your run. It will keep you nice and cool if you put it on your neck or wipe your face with it.

10.) Keep drinking water after your run. Sometimes if I don’t drink enough during a really hot run, I get a bad headache and am more exhausted later in the day. Be sure to take care of your body AFTER you run, and not just during!

10 tips for running in the heat

QOTD: Any tips I forgot for running in the heat? What has helped you?

Leave a Comment Filed Under: fitness, running, running gear, tips Tagged: heat, hot, running, running in heat, running tips, summer, tips

4 Tips for Stroller Running in the Heat

June 12, 2018 by Heather

Now that it’s summer and all sense of a regular schedule has gone out the window, I have had to rethink some of my workout times and methods. I want to spend time with Emma Kate without neglecting my health, so it just makes sense for us to do some working out together. Thankfully she will still sit in the stroller while I run for three miles or less, so we are trying to do more of that lately. However, it. is. hot. Not only do I have to worry about being safe for myself, but also for my daughter, so here are my best tips for stroller running:

stroller running

1.) Sunscreen for everyone: I know it may be tempting to think that because they are in a shaded stroller or covered by a canopy that your child is safe from the sun, but they most definitely still need sunscreen! Also if you are a heavy sweater don’t forget to reapply. I use kids spray sunscreen on her body, and sensitive skin just for face on Emma Kate’s face. I use whatever is in the closet for myself. ha.

stroller running

2.) Dress appropriately: Cool, light sweat wicking clothing is best for everyone. I got Emma Kate some super cheap athletic gear at our local consignment shop. We obviously don’t need blankets in the summer! Don’t drape your stroller with a blanket because it traps heat inside and you need air to circulate as much as possible.

3.) Hydrate: Fill up a bottle of water for yourself, and for your wee one. A lot of strollers have a handy basket underneath where you can bring sunscreen, water, a towel, etc. along with you. I also purchased an accessory for my stroller that has two cupholders up top, and a flip down cup holder and tray for Emma Kate in front of her. It’s great for keeping her entertained with snacks, too.

4.) Time your run and route wisely: Try to run early in the morning or late in the evening when you aren’t in the worst of the sun, which is between 10-2. Not only will it be cooler, but there will also be more shade and everyone will be happier. I personally prefer running in the morning and getting it out of the way. Emma Kate is awake at 6:00 most days so it gives us something to do before the world is awake.

5.) Pick a good jogging stroller: I am currently loving the BOB Rambler! It is cheaper than other models, but still packs a powerful punch. It has 12 inch high impact tires for those bumpy roads, a swivel locking front wheel, and a 75 pound weight capacity. I also love the one hand recline adjustment, two step fold, and foot activated parking break. If some of the other BOB strollers are too expensive for your taste, know that the Rambler has the best features at a lower price point.

You can check out the Rambler’s other features here and also find out where to purchase your own. You can also check this page out for safety tips for running with your Bob! Happy running!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of BOB, however all opinions are my own.

Filed Under: baby, blogging, family, fitness, running Tagged: emma kate, heat, running, stroller, summer

4th of July Weekend 2016

July 8, 2016 by Heather

I know it’s been almost a week, but I realized I never recapped my 4th of July weekend! We decided since we would be with family, to go ahead and celebrate my birthday early (it’s not until the13th). I picked up EK after lunch from daycare so she would nap in the car on the way to Louisiana. When we arrived, my parents had bought her a fun pool toy that also sprays water (it comes out of the top of the palm tree and comes down the “waterfall” where the blue streamers are). Sadly, the “slide” on the pool isn’t really something you can slide on, but she still had fun.

We BBQ’ed and then had cake and ice cream. Check out my cake with LSU colors! I had my favorite of course, chocolate doberge cake (it’s a New Orleans thing, Google it. It’s delicious.)

Saturday my dad and I went to buy Emma Kate a small slide so she could slide into the pool. We ran a couple other errands and visited their neighbors dog. Look how sweet she is holding his hand!

My parents have a nest of babies, well, one baby and two eggs, right outside their house that we visited as well.

Then that afternoon it was more pool fun, this time with an actual slide. She must have gone down it 100 times and she slept 13 hours that night!

Sunday morning I decided to go for a 6 mile run. Little did I know the “feels like” temperature was 108! I didn’t know this until I was done. I just thought I was out of running shape because I haven’t been doing it much lately. it was brutal and I had to take it slow the last two miles in particular. Of course I wore my red white and blue stars running skirt.

In the afternoon we went and got snowballs which was perfect for such a hot day. I had wedding cake cream of course.

That evening, my buddy Jen and her family came over to eat with us and play in the water. The kids played outside for a long time! Look how adorable these friends are. They were holding hands and hugging!

It was great to see them as always. We realized after that we didn’t take a picture together! Next time.

Monday morning we played at the house, ran a couple errands, and then loaded up the car to head home after lunch. One of these days we will be able to get everyone in a photo, but here are the Montgomery girls!

We got home and we needed to water the grass. Of course Emma Kate used the opportunity to play in the water…again. As if she hadn’t had enough of that over the weekend.

I think we were all wiped out after such a fun weekend. Can’t wait for the next one!

QOTD: What was your favorite part of the 4th of July?

Filed Under: family, holidays, running Tagged: 4th of July, Birthday, emma kate, holiday, pool, summer

Summer, runDisney, and Outdoor Play

April 28, 2016 by Heather

Hey friends! I hope you are all having a good week. We have officially ended our two whole weeks of spring and moved into summer. Man it’s been warm and humid this week! As the owner of a frozen yogurt shop I can’t really complain about the heat because…job security, but it’s not good for running outside! I am sitting outside in the shade under a fan writing this post, and I am still sweating. I understand those of you up north may be green with envy reading this, and while I would hate your winters, I would totally take your summers!

Anyway, who signed up for runDisney marathon weekend on Tuesday? I totally forgot about sign up until a friend reminded me. I have been asked a few times if I was running, and while the original plan was yes, it has changed to a no…or a well, I’m not sure. Trust me, I would love to run the half, it’s an anniversary year for the race, AND it falls on my 10 year wedding anniversary weekend! (January 6). The plan has always been to run it, but there are a few things up in the air for us this winter so I would hate to have to register and then defer. A huge CONRATS to those of you that are running though! You will have so much fun, and I can’t wait to hear your stories. (You can go here for more info on signing up).

I have been reading a lot of blog posts about outdoor play with your kids. Now that it’s plenty warm enough, I want to come up with some fun summer activities for Emma Kate. We have a baby pool and a splash pad, but what else? I’m going to attempt (haha) to make homemade sidewalk paint, and I want to get her a water table, but yall, I think we have established over the years that I am just not a crafty or creative person. Who has tips and ideas for me that are cheap or free?

(When I say cheap or free, I mean…this is what we did on Sunday.)

Lastly, a huge thanks to those of you that continue to sign up for my free goal setting printables and my free how to start a blog e-course. I had a lot of fun working on them, and am in the process of working on some more fun things! I have loved getting the e-mail feedback from you, and hope that you are learning/getting something out of it. I so wish I had someone to walk me through the basics when I was starting out, so I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did, plus, sometimes everyone just needs a little kick in the butt to get started on something, am I right? (You can sign up for my free e-course here).

Have a great day my friends!

QOTD: Favorite outside activities with your kids? Are you running marathon weekend?

Filed Under: blogging, Disney, family, runDisney Tagged: blogging, emma kate, runDisney, summer

Jeff Galloway Tips: Dealing with the Heat

July 31, 2015 by Heather

Hey friends! These tips for dealing with the heat from Jeff Galloway could not have come at a better time! We are in the middle of a serious heat wave here in the south (our daily heat index has been around 107 with high humidity) and running has been difficult. Please enjoy these tips:

Training through the summer can not only be grueling, but down right dangerous. Here are some tips to train safely and as comfortable as possible in the hot summer months.

Slow down by 30 sec/mile (20 sec/km) for every 5F temperature increase above 55-60F ( every 2.5C above 14C)

When the temperature is over 70F (21C) you may take a 5 minute “cold shower break” every 25-30 minutes to keep cool.

Try to complete your run before the sun rises above the horizon.

More frequent walk breaks during hot weather can lower body temperature increase. If you used to run 3 minutes between walk breaks, run only 90 seconds (walk 30 seconds) at 70F (21C) and at 80F (26C) drop to 60 sec run/30 sec walk or 30/30

When you start to heat up more than normal, take a longer walk in a mall or indoor AC building

Pick shady courses on hot days.

Don’t wear a hat! Pour water over your head

Have an indoor alternative—treadmill, etc

Run in the deep end of the pool, using a flotation belt

QOTD: What is your best tip for running n hot weather?

Disclosure: As a Jeff Galloway blogger I am given special tips to share with you, my readers. No compensation has been given to me.

Filed Under: blogging, fitness, health, runDisney, running, tips Tagged: heat, Jeff Galloway, running in heat, running tips, summer, tips

Summer Workouts

June 17, 2015 by Heather

Now that it is summer and getting unbearably hot outside here in Mississippi, my workout routine has changed quite a bit. I plan to talk about my results a little more in my body after baby 9 month post coming up in a couple weeks, but I am definitely seeing some results and doing things a lot differently.

I have always struggled to run in the heat. Just because you live in the south doesn’t mean running in 100 degrees with 99% humidity gets any easier, you just learn to accept that it’s just the way it is. I can remember being a small child at field day at the end of the school year and getting horrible headaches from running around in the heat (and no I’m not dehydrated). Anyway, summers have always been tough for me because I am not great at getting my butt to the gym, and would prefer to workout at home on my own time. Also, I like to keep a base of 5-6 miles in the summer (ok, 6 is pushing it, I typically cap out at 5).

So humid my sweat refuses to evaporate!

So, these facts coupled with the undeniable truth that I have been struggling to lose the last 5 pounds of baby weight led me to make some changes in my routine (I will save the eating side of things for my body after baby post). From mid December-March, I was marathon training, so I was running all the miles and eating all the foods. This got me through my race, but it didn’t do great things for my waistline. I knew something needed to change, so here is what I am now doing as far as workouts go (not food changes):

1.) Running less: Gasp! I know right? A distance runner running less, what is wrong in the universe! I know, I know. Like I said…it’s hot here. Even at 6:30 in the morning and 8:00 at night. I was getting terrible headaches and getting very frustrated in general, so I decided to cut my runs to 2-3 days a week, and my max mileage has been 5 miles at a time, and I am only doing that every 2-3 weeks with my other runs being 2-3 miles.

2.) More short, HITT and other cardio workouts: I have been randomly finding workouts on Youtube that I can do in my living room…in the air-condition. Most are between 10-20 minutes long, so I can fit them in easily during the day. My poor body is sore the next day from just those few minutes!

3.) More strength workouts: In addition to the HITT workouts I have been finding, I have also found short strength routines that target things like arms, legs, or abs. I pick one at random and do them at home as well. I have 10 pound dumb bells and an active motion bar, as well as a yoga mat. Pretty much all I have needed so far.

4.) More Walking/resting: I used to take one day off a week, but instead of that I am now taking two days off, once day of complete rest and another of active rest. I have been going for a lot of walks either at home with the dog, or early in the morning at the park with the baby. It’s a great way to get some steps in but at a more leisurely stress free pace. It mixes things up and keeps my body guessing, and it’s working for me for now.

5.) More sleep: This is a big one. When I am tired the first thing that I tend to cut out in favor of more sleep is my workout (well, I can’t really cut out work or cooking or taking care of the wee one now can I?) It isn’t always fun to go to bed at 9:00 (one day last week it was 8:45!) but even if Emma Kate wakes up at 5:45, I am still well rested enough to not skip that workout, and I just feel so much better in general.

I know these things kind of sound like a no brainer, but for me it was actually putting them all together with some eating changes that have made the difference for me. I have only been doing this for about 3 weeks, but I can already see a difference not only physically, but in my mood and ability to get other tasks done during the day without feeling so tired. I realized I was killing myself trying to run for countless hours and doing sssooo much steady cardio with minimal results. I can’t wait to share what else I’m doing in my body after baby update! Stay tuned!

QOTD: What has been the best approach for you in the summer months when it comes to your fitness?

Filed Under: blogging, fitness, motivation, running, tips Tagged: running, summer, summer running, tips, weight loss

Back to School for Families

September 1, 2013 by Heather

Guest post!

As I sit here leisurely drinking my coffee (out of a Disney mug of course) and nibbling on my yogurt, granola and fruit parfait, I look ahead at what is coming up. The 2013 Inaugural Dumbo Double Dare!!! Well, yes, that is coming up but I am looking ahead at Back to School….

What does Back to School mean? Is it when moms and dads all over are taking back their homes? Is it when the house remains clean for more than 2 seconds? For me, it means that here in my house, we make some changes to our daily routine. As you may recall, I homeschool my two girls. I have a freshman entering high school and a soon to be 5^th grader. They now do online school which does take a lot off of my shoulders in preparation of curriculum, but I am their “Learning Coach” as their online school calls me and I need to be there to help out in any way I can. I still need to make sure they understand their formulas, their verbs, their Spanish or French words, etc…

Our summer has been pretty laid back. I let the girls stay up late, sleep in. They had a lot of time with their friends at the mall and the movies. My oldest has been going on group outings with boys and girls. (Boys too? YIKES!!!!) There has been church camp, church weekly bbq’s for my oldest, sleepovers, art classes, dance classes, etc. My youngest even had a trip to LA for a Dance Intensive and then we spent a day in Disneyland together to end our long trip. I know I need to start getting them on a bedtime routine to be ready for morning school time but I can’t help but want to let them be kids and just continue with their fun summer.

Another change is for me. I need to change when I get my run or workout in. 6 days a week is my fitness routine and I love it. It’s been great this summer as I could get up, get a run in, workout and start my day. I didn’t have to worry about making sure the girls were up and on their lap tops for their morning homeroom class or one of their many other online classes. So, now I need to make that change. Do I wake up earlier than normal to run or workout? That is generally what I have done in the past so it is nothing new but still….I have enjoyed my laid back summer too.

As your summer is coming to an end and your kids are going back to school, what is something that will change in your house?

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Filed Under: blogging, family, Guest Post, vacation Tagged: back to school, family, guest post, kids, summer

Beach Trip Part 2

July 15, 2011 by Heather

Ok so we left off with my birthday celebration our first night at the beach. The next day we of course hit the water after a nice breakfast out on the balcony.

this little boy is ready to go!

The boys went ahead down and set up our tent, and then we all went down together with all of our crap. It’s amazing how much stuff you need to just sit outside by the water!

Quick! what does this picture remind you of? I will give you a hint, it involves an episode of one of my favorite TV shows with a guy names Raymond…If you get it right you get 10 cool points in my book!

Here is our little set up…

of course we had to take the obligatory beach pictures…

Not really sure why this happened…

I wish I knew what was so funny. …Of course I had to get a picture in my Saints chair.

The boys threw the frisbee

it was a good morning! I walked down the beach with my dad, read my book, and people watched. We got hungry around 12 and headed up to the condo for lunch, then Bobby, my dad and I headed back to the beach for awhile. my mom is not a beach person so she stayed in the room. What a party pooper.

here I am rocking a Running Skirts strappy top as a swimsuit top!

anyone else noticed how…eh…expressive my dad is?

That night, we went to dinner at the Back Porch.

It started out a little rocky. Its an open air restaurant with open windows all the way across like duh, a big back porch. Well, they stuck us in the back corner in a hole that was dark and away from all windows. it was HOT and dark and I was not happy. This was supposed to be my birthday dinner and I was miserable! I was about to start crying when we finally decided to go get back on the waiting list for a table by the windows. A few minutes later we were put upstairs at a window. MUCH cooler and prettier view! Crisis averted!

view from our table

I got blackened chicken with pasta…the chicken was so spicy I couldn’t eat it so I just had pasta. Oh well. Bobby got some kind of seafood platter.

After dinner we went back to the condo and played board games because we are cool like that. it was early to bed because Bobby had class the next morning. oh, I forgot to mention, the first night on the beach we went out after dark to go crab hunting, one of Bobby’s favorite things. It’s so entertaining!

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between the walks up and down the beach during the day and evening, I probably walked 2 miles or so on Sunday. My knee was sore because walking in the sand was so tough…ggrr…

QOTD: When you go to a restaurant do you sit wherever they put you or do you make special requests? We are such picky restaurant people. Booth, please, away from the kitchen and far the heck away from the smoking section if there is one!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: beach, condo, Destin, Florida, summer, vaca, vacation

July Goals

July 4, 2011 by Heather

Hi everyone! Happy 4th! I hope you are having a great weekend and (hopefully) have the day off! We are going to BBQ with some friends tonight at our house. We have had a great weekend so far, the 4th of July just screams summer fun to me, and that’s what we’re having!

I am one of those incredibly patriotic people who cries when they hear Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” come on the radio, so I just have to say this: I am so proud to be an American, I am so thankful for the freedoms that we have and feel SO BLESSED to live in a country where we get to make choices and decisions for ourselves. I do not take for granted all that has been sacrificed so we can enjoy the freedoms that we have. A huge thanks to our armed forces who put their lives on the line so that we can sleep easy at night. I am forever grateful! Ok, All done.

So, Yesterday we went to a BBQ in our neighborhood, it was fun but so hot, like, the kind of hot where sweat is pouring down in between your boobs and down your back. YUCK! But, I looked very festive! Pictures will be up tomorrow. Sorry, So here is one of stinky.

Not as innocent as she looks. She will rip your heart out and eat it. Ok, well, not really, but she WILL stick her tongue up your nose.

Speaking of which, doesn’t she have a freakishly long tongue?!?!

get in my belly!!!!

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Some of you may remember in the Spring I did monthly goals. I totally dropped the ball for June, since I was out of town for the first week of it, and just figured oh well, I would pick back up this month, so here we go!

–Read my Bible every day. I was doing this faithfully all spring until I got back from my trip, and my life has been chaos with my new job, but that’s no excuse. I’m back at it.

–Raise at least half of my Team in Training money. Ok, so I am getting a little nervous about raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society by September. Would you consider donating? Even $5.00 would mean ssooo much to me!

-Continue to strength train 2 x’s a week. I have been doing a really good job of this so far, and just want to keep up the habit, I think it is really helping me!

-Be more organized in my office. I am usually very organized, but right now, things are all over the place and I haven’t willed myself to get it all straightened up. Hopefully this mini goal will get my rear in gear!

-start off my 26th year with a bang. It’s my birthday month in case you didn’t know, and last year’s birthday was HORRIBLE. I am really hoping this is a great month, and a great start to my 26th year! Hopefully this will be a year of great things!

-Foam roll every day. I used to be really good about this when I was marathon training, but in the past few months I have only done it on a “need too” basis, and I can totally tell.

If you would like to check out some of my past goals, you can see them below:

March goals

April goals

May goals

Also, I don’t think I ever did a May “goal rewind” So I can clear that up for you…didn’t raise 1/3 of my TNT money, didn’t stretch more, but DID SELL OUR HOUSE and PR in the 5k. So, halfway successful? Better than nothing, right?

QOTD: What is something fun you have done this weekend?

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: 4th of July, BBQ, Bella, freedom, goals, July goals, military, mini goals, summer