Protecting the Environment with Adventure Race World Champions Mimi & Jacky- EP039
Part of the allure of endurance sports is the opportunity to be outdoors, to connect with the natural world. And many of us would like to do more to protect the environment we love… But where do we begin?
Mimi and Jacky are two-time Adventure Race World Champions. As multi-sport athletes, they have traveled to 20 countries on four continents, competing in seven different disciplines including XTERRA triathlons, Spartan races, and Half Ironman Triathlons—just to name a few. In 2017, they devised an ambitious plan to win seven world championships.
The surprising thing is, Mimi and Jacky restrict their diet to fruits and vegetables. The couple lives on Canary Island in a solar-powered container house, growing their food in a permaculture garden. Their zero-waste lifestyle truly demonstrates their commitment to protecting the planet. Today Mimi and Jacky discuss how the races they choose reflect their environmental consciousness. They share their daily training program, their approach to recovery, and how their plant-based diet has affected their overall health and athletic performance. Listen in to understand how they developed a passion for the environment and how we can take small steps to protect the Earth.
Topics Covered
[1:03] How Mimi and Jacky got into endurance sports- Mimi comes from athletic family, rowed on French national team
- Jacky did decathlon as teen, enjoys travel involved in adventure racing
[3:00] How Mimi and Jacky met
- Girl on Jacky’s adventure race team sustained knee injury
- Team member contacted Mimi to fill in at last minute
- Opportunity to do something good for planet
- Choose races that promote environmental protection
- Live on prize money
- Choose most affordable races
- Container home, permaculture garden
- Protect the planet and save money
- Choose 1- to 3-day races (rather than 5 to 7)
- Listen to body rather than follow specific plan
- Compression clothing, essential oils
- Nutrition, adequate sleep (from 9pm to 8am)
- Kayak in morning
- Run, bike in afternoon
- Spartan workout at night
- Stopped eating refrigerated foods on road trip through Australia
- Step-by-step shift to plant-based diet
- Two meals of fruit, one of vegetables (for protein, minerals)
- Buy fruit native to country
- Eat dates, gels of honey and water
- Explained philosophy to friends and family
- Everyone free to eat what they want
- Used them in the past
- Haven’t needed since diet change
- Stemmed from learning to grown own food
- Use solar panel for electricity
- Near zero waste
- Simple kitchen (blender, juicer and tap)
- Recycle when traveling
- ‘Everything has many lives’
- Take it step by step
- Change one thing (i.e.: reuse water, separate recyclables)
- Share idea of protecting the planet
- Continue to do sport
Learn More About Mimi & Jacky