under armour | Through Heather's Looking Glass

Photo Dump November 2014

November 15, 2014 by Heather

Apparently my phone refuses to backup because my storage is full, so I did one of the things I for some reason dislike doing (time consuming? Not sure?) and dumped my photos off of my phone, so I thought I would share some with you that haven’t made it onto the blog or Instagram (I don’t think).

Adorable bib from a friend

One of the few times of the year I wear gloves to run. It was 32!

The night after she got her shots. She was ssooo sleepy

Big smiles in the morning

Game day

When my mom came to visit when EK was about 5 weeks old

Mom and dad back for a visit at 7 weeks

Late night feeding

Women’s conference my mom and I went to at my church. The girl who played on the show the Facts of Life spoke!

QOTD: If you dumped pictures from your phone what would they mostly be of?

Filed Under: baby, family, fitness, holidays, running, Under armour Tagged: baby, church, emma kate, pictures, running, Saints, under armour

August Flashback to 2013 with Under Armour

August 22, 2014 by Heather

Thank you so much for all of your encouragement, tips and advice on yesterday’s blog post. I am happy to report we went on the hospital tour yesterday, so one more thing out of the way woo hoo!

It’s Friday, my brain is fried and I am sure yours is too, so no crazy in depth post today, I thought I would keep it light with a fun flashback post to last August. These posts have become even more comical to me now that I am pregnant. The thought of doing some of the things NOW I was doing this time last year make me laugh. Let’s take a look.

This time last year, I had ben invited to Baltimore to hang out at Under Armour Headquarters for a couple of days, and I had an ABSOLUTE BLAST. I learned a lot, met a lot of great people, and got to go shopping! I remember being so amazing at how cool it was outside, I’m sure everyone got tired of me saying it!

We worked out, we shopped, we met with lots of different design teams from apparel to shoes, and ate very well!

We even got to do some rooftop yoga and have massages all at the Four Seasons where we were staying.

I had never been to Baltimore, and although it was a quick trip, it is one I will never forget! Under Armour is a great company that gives a good, strong message to women, and I was honored to be a part of the weekend and become an ambassador. Now if I can only get them to make maternity gear…

You can check out all of my Under Armour visit recaps below:

*Photos courtesy of Matt Ryb

WINNER of the virtual race giveaway is Tim Lollar! Please email [email protected]! If you did NOT win, please please consider joining in the virtual race anyway or donating to the cause to help save these sweet pugs!

QOTD: What is one thing you learned when you traveled to a new city for the first time (like how I learned it’s COOL OUTSIDE in Baltimore in August!)

Filed Under: blogging, fitness, running gear, Under armour Tagged: ambasador, baltimore, fitness, four seasons, travel, under armour, workout

Under Armour Speedform Apollo

May 8, 2014 by Heather

My friends at Under Armour recently sent me the new Speedform Apollo shoe to test out. I am usually a stability shoe kind of girl so I wasn’t so sure, but after walking and running in them, I can say I’m a believer (for short distances, with my super high arches I’m scared to run more than 4 miles in them).

These shoes are crafted in a clothing factory (cool!) to make sure the fit is as comfortable as the Under Armour clothing that we ALL love. The fabric is so comfortable and flexible the Apollos didn’t even require to be “broken in!”

This is a slim shoe that has zero bulk. It has a seamless heel cup so rubbing shouldn’t be an issue, as it hasn’t been for me.

The shoes have a perforated toe so they are very breathable. There is also a 4D foam sock liner that conforms to your foot’s shape, so you don’t have to worry about sliding around in your shoes.

They weigh only 6.5 ounces, and have cool molded toe detail. I felt like the ride was very smooth, but not SO minimal that I could feel every crack in the sidewalk. My feet felt great the whole time, and I didn’t have any issues afterwards. I noticed every though the shoe is very light and form fitting, the sole is actually pretty thick which gives some nice support without being bulky.

The women’s shoe comes in four great color combos and retails for $99.99. You can purchase them here through my affiliate link, too!

QOTD: Do you prefer a more stable shore or a lightweight minimal shoe?

Disclosure: I was provided these shoes by my friends at Under Armour, however all opinions are my own.

Filed Under: fitness, running, Under armour Tagged: review, running shoe, shoes, speedform apollo, under armour

Pregnancy Update: Week 12

March 20, 2014 by Heather

I’m officially Bumpin’ over here! I know I will look back one day and laugh at how small I am, but for now, I feel huge!

I went on a 2.5 mile run/walk yesterday. The weather was beautiful, so I had to take advantage. I have only been nauseated in the afternoon and evenings, so the mornings have been better the past few days. Other than that, I think that last time I exercised was a 2 mile run/walk last Thursday. I was planning to run 4/5 last weekend but it rained most of the time. Hoping to get it in this weekend.

Symptoms: Tired (but not as bas as before), breakouts on face, chest and shoulders. Nausea in evenings, constipation, forgetfulness, dry skin, bloated, peeing a lot.

Baby’s Size: Lime

Maternity Clothes?: My sweet friend Jen was kind enough to send me some of hers that she has outgrown, but I have not bought any of my own. I have bought a few workout things from Under Armour in bigger sizes that will hopefully hold me over for a couple more months at least.

Stretch Marks?: Not yet, but I’m not holding my breath. I have stretch marks on my legs from when I hit a huge growth spurt in 5th grade, so I have had them before…

Sleep: WAS really good but the past few nights it’s been tossing and turning. I have no problem falling asleep but then I wake up every couple hours wide awake, and of course to get up and pee.

Miss Anything?: I don’t drink a lot of alcohol, but with the weather warming up I have been having serious cravings for a Margarita or Pina Colada (I have been craving cold/frozen things like slushies so not surprising).

Cravings? Snowballs, slushies, ice cream, carbs like chips, cheez its, etc.

Aversions? Nothing makes me gag, but most foods just don’t sound appetizing. Mealtime is no fun because I literally just stare at the refrigerator because nothing sounds “good” to me. I force myself to at least snack all day though.

Looking Forward to: Second trimester and hopefully kissing morning sickness goodbye!

What I’m loving: Reading and planning. I am such a planner I love just researching and learning and getting ready!

QOTD: Anyone else craving frozen concoctions? When did your morning sickness subside?

Filed Under: fitness, pregnancy, Under armour Tagged: fitness, pregnancy, running, under armour

2013 Runner Christmas Gift Guide

December 4, 2013 by Heather

The most wonderful time of year is upon us! For some, it is also a stressful time of year, because you don’t know what to buy for your loved ones or what to ask for yourself.

If you are a runner or have to buy for a runner, I have a little gift guide that may help you out! These gifts range from stocking stuffer ideas to that “big gift” so there is something for everyone. Check it out below, along with a GIVEAWAY for one of the items on my gift list! Happy shopping!

1.) Beats by Dr. Dre Studio headphones:

I received these headphones to review from Staples. I have never been one to spend a lot of money on headphones, but yall, these are worth it! You can wear them while cross training, weight lifting, and of course traveling to and from races. I am weird about things being tight on my head, but these babies are super comfortable, adjustable, and cute! They have some really cute colors to choose from and I of course picked purple. Powered by a pair of AAA batteries, the noise cancellation feature in a pair of stylish Beats Studio headphones amplifies the music as it blocks out noise, giving you consistently powerful and intense sound. It’s awesome.

2.) Dexas duel chamber hydration bottle:

Dexas sent me one of each of the below water bottles to try. I was very impressed, and what a genius idea! One side for water, one side for Gatorade, or one side for water and one for protein powder, pre workout, etc. These babies are easy to clean, easy to grip, and don’t spill. The one with the straws is great for when I am lifting weights, on the elliptical, or just at home trying to get more liquids in for the day. There is a nifty handle for carting around, and they come in super fun colors. The other one with the caps is great for mixing, shaking, etc. (add some ice and it acts as a shaker ball for protein powder!) Each chamber stays sealed off individually, I love it! (Check them out on Facebook, too!)

My favorite way to use the two chambers would be out running because I alternate between water and Gatorade but who wants to carry two bottles around? This is a great solution! For post race or post run I would love to have chocolate milk in one side and protein powder to mix into the other. SO many options!

3.) Under Armour cold gear infrared:

Ok, so it doesn’t get freezing cold here, but we have had some really chilly mornings in the 30’s the past couple weeks, and I was so glad I had my Under Armour Cold Gear Infrared. It keeps you warm with no extra weight or bulk. The pattern inside the clothing helps absorb and retain your own body heat. How cool is that? Not to mention, I’m a sucker for thumb holes. There are tons of styles, colors, and price points to choose from. I want them all!

4.) Runner Calendars

Runners are obsessed with calendars and dates, so we can plan our races of course! I was given two products to try out from http://www.andrewsmcmeel.com/ The day by day calendar is really cute and a fun gift to put on your desk at work. It’s a fun, daily calendar featuring humorous quotes, the best signs seen on a marathon route, and tips throughout the year.

The running log is very useful. It allows you to log, track, and write about your runs and even has some little stories here and there throughout the book. This best-selling calendar provides a year’s worth of tips to keep you motivated throughout the year. I will definitely be utilizing both of these in 2014! I think it’s so important to keep track of your runs so if you get injured or hit a plateau you can look back and see what you were doing.

5.) Advocare Rehydrate Gel:

This is Advocare’s version of fuel or a GU for running. They are only 80 calories, and encourage optimal performance through electrolyte balance. They also allow for immediate sustained energy and help facilitate hydration. Great stocking stuffers!

6.) Sport Hooks:

It’s no secret I love my bling, and what a better way to display it than to hang it up on the wall? Sport Hooks has some amazing designs (check out the new painted ones, adorbs!) and prices to fit every budget. They have special Rock n roll designs as well as Boston and Disney displays!

7.) Gone for a Run bibfolio:

I wrote a post about this product awhile back, and think it would make a great gift for any runner. Who doesn’t want a place to store all of their memories and bibs to look back on? Mine is sitting in the living room on the coffee table and is a great conversation piece. I love it!

TWO of the above companies have agreed to do giveaways so you can win one of these items for Christmas!

Dexas is giving FOUR THLG readers a hydration bottle of their choice, and two people will win running calendars! one will win the training log and one will win the daily calendar. So that’s six chances to win! See the TWO rafflecoptor widgets below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Advocare, blogging, Giveaway, holidays, running, Under armour Tagged: advocare, bibFolio, calendar, christmas gift guide, dr. dre, Giveaway, headphones, medal hanger, runner christmas gift guide, running, under armour, water bottle

Baltimore Half Marathon 2013

October 22, 2013 by Heather

On October 12, I ran the Baltimore half marathon as part of the Baltimore Running Festival, thanks to my friends at Under Armour. I woke up that morning and looked out my window. I could see the marathon start line! Because there were multiple races that were a part of the festival, the half marathon didn’t start until 9:45 and the marathon started at 8.

It was cool to be able to watch the start from my room, and still have time before going down to run my race!

Since it’s still warm down south, I had no idea what to wear. I decided to go with some super soft cold gear courtesy of Under Armour, and while I did end up getting a little warm, everything was so comfortable, even for wearing it the very first time!

My plan for this race was to have fun. I had been out of town for 8 days on my feet all day, and eating restaurant food at every meal, so I wasn’t expecting a lot out of this. Plus, I had just raced the Tower of Terror 10 miler the Saturday before.

I walked downstairs and had no idea where the starting line was and had to ask some cops. So much for being prepared! I was really early, and ended up waiting around for awhile. It started to rain, but thankfully we just had a few showers here and there during the race. The set up for where to start the half was honestly a little confusing.

The path to get to the half start crossed the marathon course and people kept getting in the way. Maybe there is another way they can do this or change the course for next year?

We started at 9:45, and I started half 21 not knowing what to expect!

I felt pretty good at first, but then we just kept climbing…and climbing…and climbing. I grew up below sea level, and don’t train on many hills, so this was a big wake up call for me (and my calves!)

My pace slowed a lot, but I was determined not to walk on any of the hills. I am super proud to say I ran the whole race except for water stops.

At some point, we met up with the full marathon folks and finished the race with them all together, which I thought was really neat.

The first 6.5 miles were literally all uphill, and I kept thinking “we have to go down at SOME point!” My legs were tired, and we finally hit a lake. Ah, flat ground.

We ran all the way around the lake, and I kept texting Jami funny jokes, and then this photo. I get delirious when I run and say crazy things to people. No idea why.

If you look closely on the other side of the lake you can see all the people coming around.

I made it up another hill after going around the lake, and we went into some really pretty neighborhoods.

There was a good amount of crowd support, lots of funny signs, and I enjoyed seeing the city.

About mile 9, spectators started yelling things like “you got this, this is the last big hill!” I would get excited only to run into yet another hill. This kept happening and everyone around me would laugh and groan. Eventually though, we DID hit our last hill and the last couple miles were flat and downhill which was SO NICE at the end of a race.

The crowds got thicker and thicker so I knew we were close.

This race actually went by pretty fast, even though it was a tough one. I was glad to see the finish, but didn’t feel like I was dying.

I crossed at 2:19, and got this little guy.

I was happy with my time for a fun run with tons of hills right after a vacation and another race. Works for me!

I met up with Jami after who rocked the first leg of the marathon relay. We got some grub, hung out for a bit, then it was time for me to head back to the hotel before I caught my car to go back to the airport.

The race shirts from Under Armour are so soft, I love wearing mine! I of course had to match with my speedforms going to the airport.

Why yes, I did wear my medal to the airport and on the plane!

This was a great race with good crowd support and a fun although challenging course. Under Armour is a great sponsor, and the city was a great host. If you have a chance to run this one be sure to do it!

QOTD: Do you like hilly races? Do you run them?

Disclosure: My friends at Under Armour sent me to Baltimore to run this half marathon (flights, food, hotel, race entry) however, thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Don’t forget, you can order Under Armour Product straight through my website! This is the shirt I raced in and these are the tights. The green speedforms I wore to the airport, and the headband as well.

Filed Under: fitness, Race Recaps, running, Uncategorized, Under armour Tagged: baltimore, half marathon, running, under armour

Baltimore Running Festival Expo

October 19, 2013 by Heather

This time last weekend I was running a half marathon! It was such a whirlwind trip, but also SO much fun.

I flew straight from vacation in Orlando up to Baltimore for the Baltimore running festival, and a car picked me up at the airport at 3:00. They brought me to the Hilton, where I would be staying for the night. My room was ready, and I had a great view of the marathon start line, the baseball stadium, and if I looked in the very left corner I could see the football stadium.

I headed over to the expo, as I was told it was next door. I didn’t even have to go outside which was nice because it was cold! I left Orlando and it was in the upper 80’s, so my body was VERY confused.

The expo was very organized, they had a section for people who had already registered to pick up their bib, and then they sent us downstairs to get our bag and shirt. I LOVE the Under Armour shirts. They are SO silky and soft, and a very fun color.

They had a big course map at the expo, which really did me no good since I knew where nothing in Baltimore was. I didn’t even know where the start line was! I assumed I would just follow people on race morning. ha.

There was a big section for official merchandise, and they had some really cute stuff. I went on through out to see the other vendors. It was a smaller expo compared to the ones I am used to with Disney or Rock n roll, but it was organized, and had some familiar booths.

At the end there was a huge Under Armour section with a great selection of merchandise.

I was wearing my UA speedform shoes, and had several people ask me about them, and I was happy to share how much I love them! Overall the expo was well run and I was able to get in and out without any problems or long lines.

I headed out after that, I was meeting Jami from under Armour for dinner, and we went to the cutest little place called Live 2 Eat. It was adorable, and had the most AMAZING food. If you live in the area, you don’t want to miss this gem.

We shared delicious risotto balls for appetizers. I also had some great baked chicken for my meal that I devoured before taking a picture.

We shared fudge like chocolate cake with delicious ice cream. We were stuffed. It was getting late, and we had to race in the morning! I think I may have fallen asleep before my head even hit the pillow, but I slept wonderfully in the comfy beds.

Be on the lookout for my race recap on Monday!

QOTD: Do you eat dessert the night before a race?

Disclosure: My friends at Under Armour sent me up to Baltimore to run this race, and covered my airfare, hotel, and race registration. However, all opinions are my own.

Filed Under: fitness, running, Under armour Tagged: baltimore running festival, half marathon, Race expo, under armour

Number 21

October 12, 2013 by Heather

Today is my first half in Baltimore, my 21st half total. It’s going to be a tough one and probably cold and rainy, but I am excited to experience something new! I fly home this afternoon after the race then the blog will get back to normal (including my Tower of a Terror recap!)

Here goes nothing!

QOTD: have you run a race in the rain?

Filed Under: fitness, running, Under armour Tagged: half marathon, running, under armour

Back to Baltimore

October 11, 2013 by Heather

Guess what? I am headed back to Baltimore today! Yup, hopping a plane from Orlando and headed up there for one day to run a half marathon with Under Armour as part of the Baltimore running festival.

Under Armour is one of the sponsors of the race, and they invited me up to run. So, poor Bobby will be driving home from Disney alone while I take Magical express to the airport this morning! I am so excited and can’t wait to share the experience with you.

As always I will be posting on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and will do a full race recap after. It’s just a quick trip, but I am stoked none the less.

Let me give you some fun facts about this race:

-VIP section for Under Armour employees

-Post race yoga

– A set up at the event so people can get more familiar with Under Armour

-Held in Under Armour’s backyard in Baltimore

-over 30,000 runners come to Baltimore for the festival

-Tough, hilly, (but fun!) course.

Be sure to follow the Baltimore running festival on Facebook for more information! There are a FEW half and full entries available at the expo if you still want to run!

QOTD: What is your favorite thing about race expos?

Filed Under: running, Under armour Tagged: baltimore, racing, run, running, under armour

Under Armour Ambassador

October 4, 2013 by Heather

It’s official, I am a blog ambassador for Under Armour! Some of you may have guessed by the badge on my right side bar. Smile This has been in the works since they invited me up to Baltimore in August, and now things are official.

You can expect to see fun things from me like giveaways, as well as information when new products launch, and my reviews on my favorite gear. There are a few things in the works I can’t wait to tell you about, so be sure to stick around.

You can purchase product from Under Armour’s website through the photos/links on the right side of my blog. I will change up the photos when there are new promotions, sales, etc. so be on the lookout.

I am so excited to be representing such an amazing company with a great story. Their products are made of such great quality materials, and I especially love what they have done with the What’s beautiful movement. I’m sure more good things are to come from them and I cannot wait!

QOTD: Do you own any Under Armour apparel or gear?

Filed Under: blogging, running, Under armour Tagged: ambassador, blogger, running, under armour