Name: Jenny Hopkins ( Bam Bam – nickname)
Where do you live? I’m currently living between Bournemouth & Suffolk in the UK but I haven’t quite settled in one place yet. So who knows where I might be in a year’s time.
What type of athlete are you? I’m an outdoor adventurer & hiker! I have a huge passion for hiking and any outdoor pursuits.
Do you have a day job or are you a professional athlete? I have just quit my day job in London & have just started a social media agency with my boyfriend @iamjamiejames. Which means that we can spend more time being outside and going on adventures.
How long have you been participating in this sport? I’ve only been hiking for 3 years believe it or not. I fell in love with the mountains when I lived in Vancouver, Canada. I didn’t realize my passion for mountains and hiking until I came back to the UK. Which is ridiculous! I didn’t think the UK had any mountains or decent hikes, but I was happily surprised to find out that the UK is a hidden gem. Wales, Lake District, Peak District, and Scotland are incredibly beautiful & that’s where I’ve been hiking ever since.
Who are your biggest influences? Who do you admire most? There are so many people I admire, but Kenton Cool, a British extreme adventurer who has summited Everest 14 times & was the first man to climb Nuptse, Everest, and Lhotse in a season. He has such a passion & drives for all things adventurous and it’s really inspired me to climb higher mountains. My dream is to climb Mount Blanc in Chamonix.
What is your training regimen? I do something called 7 for 7 – which is 7 minutes of exercise every day. It’s 7 minutes full body work out – sit-ups, squats, etc.. I also love running – I run about 5k every other day and most recently I have got into doing beach yoga.
How do you structure your days? As I have opted out of the 9-5 world, I have to make sure I have a good morning routine. So I wake up at 6 am & make coffee. I get back into bed and do something I called my hour of power. Starting my day with morning motivation videos, I listen to some of the most successful people in the world, who are at their top of the game when it comes to mindfulness. People who inspire me to be a better person and pursue my day with passion and determination. At 7am I post my Instagram picture for the day. At 8 I then do my exercise, then I’m ready to start the day. This is my main structure for the day, as every day for me is different but I find if I always do my morning routine I am set for the day.
Do you find your diet to be a crucial part of your lifestyle? If so, what diet tips would you recommend to your followers? I have to be honest I haven’t always eaten as well as I should but over recent years, it has become a very important part of my lifestyle. I normally eat 3 meals a day with no snacks unless I have a treat day. I eat less meat and more vegetables. Broccoli is one of my favourite things to eat. One secret I do have an addiction to crisps. Lol
How do you care for your body and health aside from your sport? I previous have spoken about my morning routine which keeps my mind healthy is a very important part of the day, as well as exercising. My boyfriend is really into meditation and building strong mind tools to help cope with the challenges life brings you. So he is a big inspiration to me keeping my mind healthy and strong. This is just as important as exercise – you need an strong mind to push further in life and up mountains!!
What is your impression of the PelliTec® Blister Prevention Pads product we sent you? How did they add value to you? What did you like about them?
I recently have had terrible blisters when wearing some of my trainers, which have caused me so much discomfort & bleeding. Normal blister plasters were not working and I have continued to get them – stopping me from wearing my hiking shoes. So I was extremely pleased to have received the perfect rescue remedy Pellitec Blister Prevention Pads. These plasters are different they stick to the shoe, not to your skin. So the pad actually cushions the shoe perfectly preventing me get blisters anymore!
Would you recommend PelliTec® Blister Prevention Pads to other athletes?
Absolutely I would highly recommend anyone not just athletes to get these blister plasters. They are perfect for normal shoes. I will differently be getting some more!!
What is something that your followers do not know about you, that you find to be very important to your personal lifestyle? I don’t know if my followers know this but I work hard, play hard and live my life every day to the full. I am a very positive person and I try and see the fun in everything. You only live once so let’s not take life too seriously.
What keeps you motivated when you are faced with challenges? When it comes to hiking if the terrain is tough and my legs hurt, I always think of the reward of the view at the top! There’s something so special about working so hard and getting to top I always feel a huge wonderful achievement.
What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring athlete?
The joys of hiking are that anyone can do it! Of course, you need to be fit to walk up and down mountains for miles but there are some wonderful small hikes all the way around the world that people can do. So I recommend planning a trip and just get outside and enjoy the world.
Continue to follow Jenny on her hiking adventures!
Instagram: @adventurebambam
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