Eliud Kipchoge: "Every day is Earth Day for me"

Championing the climate comes naturally to marathon great Eliud Kipchoge.

For Kenya's double Olympic gold medallist and world record holder, sporting success and a healthy environment are inextricably linked; to be the very best means protecting the surroundings that support you on your way.

“Every day is Earth day for me,” Kipchoge told Olympics.com ahead of Earth Day 2022, an annual event dedicated to environmental protection.

“As an athlete I train every single day, meaning I need to breathe clean air daily as well. This means that I need to conserve the environment and focus on it every day.

“For me, clean air in combination with performance in sport has made me think about conservation a lot more. Being able to breathe in clean air is necessary for development and for performing at your best.

Eliud Kipchoge: The race against climate crisis

As a two-time Olympic gold medallist and the only athlete to break two hours for the marathon, the 37-year-old certainly knows a thing or two about what it takes to succeed.

Simplicity, focus and hard work have long been the three pillars that have guided his training.

And his efforts to protect the environment follow similar principles:

“I have improved my lifestyle to help fight climate change. I walk more, I minimise my water usage and I always try to encourage others to plant a tree on an important day or anniversary.

"My daily green effort is walking. I walk as much as I can instead of driving everywhere, so I can minimise my emissions."

It doesn't stop there.

In addition to adapting his everyday activities, Kipchoge is also deeply involved in conservation projects.

Back in 2020, the champion runner adopted 50 hectares of forest land in the Kaptagat Forest near where he spends most of the year training at high altitude.

The decision was made in part to challenge other individuals, citizens, and businesses to make similar conservation efforts while also allowing him to play his role in preserving the area for future generations.

The Kenyan provided an update on the work currently being done in Kaptagat:

“It has been going very well. We are currently waiting until we can do some fencing and we are planning to plant indigenous trees. For this, it is important that it rains enough, otherwise the trees will not be able to survive.

Thanks to the success of his current project Kipchoge revealed he intends to expand his conservation efforts:

"I will adopt more forests soon because reforestation is very important. I will try to plant around 50 hectares of trees."

READ: Eliud Kipchoge: "Where will I run if all the trees are being depleted?"

Eliud Kipchoge: Why we must all step up for the planet

Kipchoge would not have been able to enjoy such an exceptional career without possessing great physical attributes.

But the recent winner of the Tokyo 2021 marathon would be the first to highlight the importance of his mind and mental strength when it comes to his endeavours.

“I always say I don’t run by my legs, but I run by heart and my mind,” the Kenyan told Olympics.com back in 2020.

The mental fortitude Kipchoge shows on the road is, he believes, not too dissimilar to that which people must adopt if we are to preserve the earth:

“The mind is a crucial thing in the human body. We need to use our minds in a positive way in order to save the planet."

And if there were any doubts as to why we should all be engaging in the fight, the marathon G.O.A.T was clear:

"It is our only home and our only business, and only we can save it."

MORE: Earth Day 2022: The athletes committed to doing more for the planet