When you think of fitness, you think of environmentalism, right? Well, maybe not, but our friend, Australian athlete/activist Majell Backhausen, is working to change that. Drawing influence from campaigns like Protect Our Winters and Surfers For Climate, Majell founded For Wild Places, a campaign to encourage fellow athletes (a group he defines as “anyone who sweats”) to rally around environmental causes and set an example for future generations.
Athletes of all sorts have to be in tune with their surroundings if they want to achieve peak performance during training and competition, so it makes sense that they’d have a uniquely close relationship with the natural world. After years on the marathon and trail running circuits, Majell had a revelation: “through these experiences, I realized there is an incredible opportunity for the trail running community to be stewards of the environment.” For Wild Places was born, and its straightforward yet powerful purpose quickly drew a devoted following.
We’re huge supporters of Majell’s mission, so we sent him some gear from our recent collaboration with Tracksmith to see how they’d fit into his fitness regimen. We’ll let the photos speak for themselves, but be sure to read on for some killer recommendations from the man himself—
What I’m listening to:
“Ocean” by John Butler
What I’m reading:
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, Start With Why by Simon Sinek, Convincing Ground by Bruce Pascoe
What I’m watching:
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
What I’m supporting:
The Great Forest National Park
