The Everyday Adventure Podcast – Season 8, Episode 10

Marina LeGree: Empowerment and Adventure

In the final episode of Season 8, Nicki Bass speaks with Marina LeGree — founder and executive director of Ascend Athletics — about using adventure, movement and community to create spaces for women and girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

What began as an idea rooted in the mountains of Afghanistan grew into a organisation combining outdoor adventure, leadership development, mental wellbeing support and civic engagement. Marina shares how Ascend evolved from mountaineering expeditions and rock climbing programmes into a broader movement focused on confidence, resilience and access for women, even in the most testing contexts and environments.

Together, Nicki and Marina explore:

The transformative power of outdoor adventure and movement

Why “just starting” matters more than perfection

Leadership, confidence and learning through discomfort

How women support and uplift one another in challenging environments

Adapting purpose when circumstances radically change

Hope, resilience and continuing forward in uncertain times

The role of community, courage and everyday action

This conversation is deeply honest, inspiring and timely — especially for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world, uncertain about taking the next step, or searching for ways to create meaningful impact.

About Marina & Ascend:

Ascend Athletics co-creates and delivers holistic development programmes rooted in:

Adventure sport

Mental health and wellbeing

Leadership development

Civic engagement

Entrepreneurship training

Ascend works primarily with women and girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan, creating opportunities for confidence-building, community connection and personal growth through both outdoor and indoor programming.

Follow Ascend:

Instagram – @ascendathleticsngo

LinkedIn

Facebook

Key Themes & Takeaways

“Just start.”

Marina reflects on the importance of taking action before everything feels perfectly planned:

“Something has to be started… if you are paralysed at the start point, you’re missing everything.”

Confidence grows through experience

From trekking and rock climbing to leadership and entrepreneurship, Ascend’s work centres around helping women trust themselves and navigate uncertainty.

Access matters

Whether it’s access to mountains, movement, community, mental health support or opportunity, the episode explores how powerful it can be simply to create space.

Hope is built through people

Despite global uncertainty and immense challenges, Marina shares why seeing the impact on individual lives continues to fuel her work:

“If there’s a human being benefiting from what you’re doing, it’s worth doing.”

Follow the podcast and Nicki’s work:

Everyday Adventure Podcast Instagram

Resilience at Work

Nicki Bass on LinkedIn

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it, leaving a review, or sending it to someone who might need a reminder that even in difficult times, hope, courage and adventure still matter.