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@alissa.ward

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There’s something so incredibly comforting and equally heart breaking in creating a community knowing you won’t always be in that space physically. Having friends spread across the world because of the places I’ve moved means that my lock screen always has multiple timezones of where my loved ones are. When I have a spare few minutes, I try to chuck them a voicenote to let them know I’m thinking about them. Sometimes it’s exchanging short messages to hear what’s been happening in their lives, other times it’s impromptu longer chats, but usually it’s scheduled calls weeks in advance to align our calendars. There’s so many ways to show up for the people you care about, even if you don’t see them every week (or month, or year) and hopping on a call is one of my favourite ways to do that. by @alissa.ward

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a year ago

Rolling into the long weekend!

When I first started mountain biking I had no idea how integral this sport would be in my daily life. From the friends I’d meet because of it, the new destinations I’d explore, the races I’d party train through, the fitness I would gain, the adrenaline I would experience, but ultimately the progression I would see. Everyone talks about how the community in their sport is unmatched and I’m lucky to dip my toes into multiple, but mountain biking truly has my heart and soul. Big shout out to @patagoniavancouver for putting together a summer riding series!

📷 @tandem.photography taken in Mt Seymour by @alissa.ward

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a year ago

I read one of the most heart wrenching books a while ago, called A Little Life and this was one of the lines that stayed with me: “He experienced the singular pleasure of watching people he loved fall in love with other people he loved. “

There’s something so incredibly beautiful about connection and helping facilitate it. I never could have imagined all of the wonderful humans I would meet over the years as well the ones I can pick up with at a cafe when we find ourselves in our hometown at the same time. Friendships are hard and moving between countries is hard, but knowing I’ve got special people to hold onto in so many places makes my heart flutter in a special kind of way. So in case ya need a little reminder today while you’re going through it, finding your people is one of the best feelings and doesn’t stop at a certain age or life stage ✌🏻 by @alissa.ward

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3 years ago

Here’s some moments that living rent free in my mind.

Starting off with this ibis that popped up over a ridge after we decided to turn a day hike into a sunset mission and wander these ridges because the lighting was pure gold before we ran down the trail with head torches and I lost my spare rechargeable battery.

My first summer living in north van, going on a camping trip with a friend, meeting a bunch of her pals that soon became my pals too. Getting to see the Aurora Borealis while overlooking the city we live in, what the heck this was surreal.

Going back to the trail that I slipped on a year and a half prior… the one that ended with me putting a twig through my eyelid on, but the on the return we were the only ones up there and enjoyed the most cotton candy skies while eating choc pudding and mini eggs.

Going on a hike and this pup seeking me out as her newest fetch victim, only to make friends with her owner and weasel my way into a pretty incredible group of friends.

Enjoying these immaculate views in Scotland with some of the most insane wind I’ve ever been in, on Christmas Day, while being the chauffeur (manual life), after getting food poisoning and spending the previous night awake yakking, that my pals tried to gaslight me into thinking was just an inability to handle sugar (until they got it the next day) 😁

One of my all time favourite hikes, where conditions had the lake melted and snowy reflections on it.

Not being able to find a loam trail, so pivoting to a sanctioned trail, only to see the most insane light coming through the trees that I would have missed if I kept on my original plan.

This nutty rainbow shaped cloud way up in the mountains.

Realizing we can take our bikes to places like this in BC, had no ideal landscapes this colour existed here.

Experiencing the phenomenon that is a disappearing tarn. Like what do you mean it rains a lot and then this rocky area fills up with pristine water for a very short period of time.

Arriving to this hut in the Swiss mountains just in time for sunset because a gal I knew, had a friend moving to Tassie and I connected with her friend to give Tassie recs, only to realize that I was by @alissa.ward

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4 days ago

Building this community was a faraway dream for quite awhile with @piperrell. Last weekend we were spoiled in the trails and with practical goodies from @groundspeedsport and @hydrapak for summer fuelling missions! The format is simple: run, yoga, and a guided discussion about our connection to land. Yet the results are intricate: connecting with new faces in shared spaces, exploring climate advocacy, and finding ways to cultivate joy through @colo.cltv.

𖦹 Head over to @patagoniavancouver to register for our next workshop happening July 16th!

📷 @aaronwoodlyons by @alissa.ward

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a month ago

The Sunshine Coast really lived up to its namesake ☀️ A weekend of bikepacking with an absolutely epic crew of women brought together by @slowcoastqathet 🌀 taken in Sunshine Coast by @alissa.ward

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a month ago

More days like this incoming. It was pretty wild to see the lake already thawed by May Long, compared to two years ago when it was still completely frozen over.

This will forever be one of my favourite areas to explore, although a chill afternoon spent lounging by the lake had us sussing out some other trails around the area and even catching a bald eagle soaring along 🦅

As always, remember to practice Leave No Trace, (there’s been so many items that I’ve packed out on my first two backpacking trips of the season left by others), be prepared for the still wintery conditions in the mountains, and send a trip plan to a trusted contact before heading out. taken in Beautiful British Columbia by @alissa.ward

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2 months ago

Here’s to more Friday night’s that look like this! Knocking off of work, sending it into the mountains, followed by a morning trail run reminds me how great it is to live here.

Being a connector of people has unintentionally become such a pride and joy for me. My favourite way to have friends meet is by doing the activities I love to do with them. I reckon if they’ve got me in common, they’ll probably have other commonalities too. I like it call it a semi low stakes environment to introduce friends at the car park for a quick overnighter, or a 20km trail run, but take that as you will. After bouncing around cities for awhile, I’m so grateful to have so much community to tap into and share all the outdoor hobbies with. by @alissa.ward

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3 months ago

Meet one of your co-founders and co-leaders @alissa.ward! From growing up in Canada, to living in Australia, a brief stint in Switzerland, and now settled back in North Vancouver, Alissa has spent the last few years understanding the relationship between outdoor athletes, climate advocacy, and collective action while living, working, and playing on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples. She has completed a Masters of Science in Sustainability Management and is excited to bring this knowledge into workshop sessions! Here’s some quick facts about who will be co-leading the Colo runs:
𖦹 Will say hi to every human and dog she passes on the trails
𖦹 Is the epitome of a morning person and loves a 6am run just as much as a 6pm run
𖦹 Loves to be on the trails in many form: trail running, hiking, mountain biking, bikepacking
𖦹 Finished her first ultramarathon earlier this year, raising funds to protect the largest temperate rainforest in Australia by @alissa.ward

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3 months ago

Still thinking about Monday night 🌸

Huge thank you to everyone who came out to the community run + trivia night with KSRC (@kitssocialrunclub). From the energy on the run to the packed house for trivia, it was such a special night bringing the community together.

We’re also so grateful to Alissa (@alissa.ward) for the thoughtful conversation and for inspiring us to think bigger about how sport and community can drive climate action. And thank you to BC Parks Foundation (@bcparksfdn) for the work you do to protect the spaces that mean so much to all of us.

Check out Kits Social Run Club (@kitssocialrunclub) for more Monday community runs.

Until next time 🤍

Photos: @tafelphoto by @alissa.ward

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4 months ago

“Not everything has a meaning - but you can find meaning in most things.”

I’ve had this quote on my wall for about a year. Before I hung it up, I had it laying on my floor, stepped on it, and gave it a little crinkle… that felt like quite an ode to the sentiment.

I bought a bell just before going to Australia from the thrift store where I live in north van. I didn’t pay much attention to the branding until I pulled it out at an event in Tassie. Turns out the bell is actually from a bike race on the Great Ocean Road. So that bell travelled from Aus, to Canada, back to Aus for my debut trip after moving away and then back to Canada again with me. Not everything has meaning, but you can find meaning in most things.

I’m hanging out for clear skies this weekend. Trying to keep the dream alive of sleeping in my tent at least once a month for 2026 👀 taken in Vancouver - Unceeded Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Territory by @alissa.ward

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4 months ago

Best way to get over the post trip blues? Grab a friend and go watch a bunch of @thevimff shows, being inspired by many athletes in all different sports, all with their own story to tell. It was an incredible two weeks and plenty of the films are available online. Grab a pass before March 31st (either for individual shows or all of the online films) and you’ll have access until April 11th 👀

My top films that are available online:

🧗‍♀️Big Walls and Bedtime Stories
🏃🏾‍♂️Escape
🚴Grinta
🌏Hope in the Anthropocene
🏂What it Takes: Expedition Unfiltered
🚵🏽‍♀️Making History: the Women of Freeride
🪂In Cold Blood by @alissa.ward

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4 months ago