The Beginning

OK, here we go.

My name is Chris Hopkinson (that's me enjoying a drink in the pic). I'm a 37 year old plumber from Ellesmere Port near merseyside, currently living in Swindon with my long term girlfriend Clare and my 2 year old daughter Eleanor.

I caught a glance of myself in a full length mirror some time last year and thought to myself "christ you're looking a bit out of shape lad" so I went out and bought myself a bike with the intention of going out on it about 3 times a week. I did alright for about a month and then I fell into the old can't be bothered mode.

So, fast forward to christmas 2007 and I'm starting to think about new year's resolutions and all that and how I really should be doing something to get myself a bit fitter. I saw an advert in a magazine for this London to Paris charity bike ride and thought to myself right, that's my motivation. I looked into things in a bit more detail on the internet and I now find myself in some serious training for the London to Paris Bike Ride in August in aid of the premature baby charity BLISS. My training schedule is currently two 10 mile rides and one twenty mile ride a week and to be honest it's damn near killing me! By the end of May I need to be doing three 30 mile rides and two 40 mile rides a week which at the moment seems impossible.

Any way, that's my story so far. For anyone who doesn't know you can sponsor me at www.justgiving.com/chrishopkinson1