Privacy Policy
Last Updated November 7, 2026
1. Overview and Scope
This Privacy Policy explains how Vision Quest Virtual LLC, doing business as Ascend (“Ascend,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), collects, uses, discloses, stores, and protects information when you use Ascend’s websites, applications, AI-assisted features, training-plan functionality, workout services, integrations, communications, and related services (collectively, the “Service”).
For purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and similar laws, Ascend is the controller of Personal Data where we determine the purposes and means of processing. In some circumstances, we may process data on behalf of another organization under a separate agreement, in which case that organization may be the controller.
This Policy is intended to provide the information required by applicable privacy laws, including the GDPR and applicable U.S. state privacy laws. It should be read together with any just-in-time notice, cookie notice, consent screen, or additional privacy disclosure presented when data is collected.
2. Key Definitions
- Personal Data. Information relating to an identified or identifiable person, or comparable information protected as “personal information” under applicable law.
- Sensitive Personal Data. Personal Data subject to heightened legal protection, which may include health information, precise geolocation, account credentials, or other sensitive categories depending on applicable law.
- AI Assistant. Ascend’s generative AI functionality, currently powered in whole or in part by third-party large-language-model technology, including Anthropic’s Claude.
- AI Client. An AI application not provided by Ascend, such as Anthropic’s Claude or OpenAI’s ChatGPT, that you choose to connect to your Account through the Ascend Connector.
- Ascend Connector. The Ascend interface, available at api.trainwithascend.fit/mcp, through which an AI Client you authorize can read and update information in your Account within the permissions you approve.
- AI Conversation Data. Prompts, messages, instructions, responses, generated content, edits, feedback, and other interaction data associated with use of the AI Assistant.
- Training Data. Workout, activity, training-plan, completion, adherence, performance, device, sensor, physiological, and related information processed through the Service.
- De-Identified Data. Information processed to reduce or remove direct association with an identifiable person. Depending on the method used, de-identified or pseudonymized information may still be Personal Data under applicable law.
- Anonymous Data. Information rendered anonymous so that a person is not identified or reasonably identifiable using means reasonably likely to be used; truly anonymous data is generally outside the scope of the GDPR.
3. Information We Collect
3.1 Information You Provide
- Account and profile information, such as name, email address, username, password credentials or authentication tokens, country/region, and account preferences.
- Subscription, transaction, and billing information. Payment-card information may be collected directly by our payment processor rather than stored by Ascend.
- Support, survey, feedback, customer-satisfaction, and communication information.
- User-generated content, including imported plans, workout notes, goals, preferences, files, and information you choose to provide in forms or messages.
3.2 Training, Activity, Device, and Performance Data
- Training plans, workout prescriptions, schedules, workout history, completion and adherence data, intensity and duration, exercise selection, training zones, and plan modifications.
- Performance and fitness metrics, such as pace, power, cadence, speed, distance, elevation, heart rate, recovery or readiness indicators, and other metrics you or connected services provide.
- Data from connected devices, wearables, fitness platforms, files, APIs, or integrations that you authorize.
- Information inferred from training activity or behavior, such as engagement, feature usage, adherence patterns, workout preferences, and performance trends.
Some Training Data may constitute or reveal health-related information or other Sensitive Personal Data under applicable law. We process such data only as permitted by law and as described below.
3.3 AI Conversations, Plans, and Outputs
When you use the AI Assistant, we may collect and retain AI Conversation Data, including the prompts and information you submit, the AI Assistant’s responses, generated or modified Training Plans, follow-up conversations, edits, feedback, and metadata about the interaction.
You should avoid entering unnecessary personal information about yourself or others into the AI Assistant. If you submit health information or other Sensitive Personal Data, we will process it as described in this Policy and, where required, based on your explicit consent or another valid legal basis.
3.4 Technical and Usage Data
- IP address, device identifiers, browser type, operating system, app version, language, referring URLs, crash and diagnostic data, timestamps, and security logs.
- Pages, screens, features, links, and content viewed or used; session duration; clicks and interactions; and information about how you navigate and use the Service.
- Approximate location inferred from IP address or device settings, and precise location only if a feature requires it and you grant the required permission.
3.5 Cookies and Similar Technologies
We may use cookies, software development kits, local storage, pixels, and similar technologies for authentication, security, preferences, analytics, performance, and—where permitted and with any required consent—marketing or advertising. You can manage non-essential cookies through available consent tools and browser or device settings.
4. How We Use Personal Data
- Provide, operate, personalize, and maintain the Service, including Accounts, subscriptions, workouts, plan import, workout matching, and AI features.
- Generate, adapt, structure, explain, or otherwise process Training Plans through the AI Assistant.
- Store training history and AI Conversation Data so users can access prior plans, conversations, progress, and relevant Service functionality.
- Provide customer support, troubleshoot issues, detect abuse, prevent fraud, maintain security, and enforce our Terms.
- Measure Service quality, reliability, performance, engagement, conversion, feature usage, and customer satisfaction.
- Develop, test, evaluate, and improve features, AI workflows, workout matching, recommendations, product performance, and user experience.
- Communicate about transactions, product updates, security, changes to the Service, and—where permitted—marketing and promotional information.
- Comply with legal obligations, respond to lawful requests, establish or defend legal claims, and protect users, Ascend, and others.
5. De-Identified, Aggregated, and Anonymous Data
We may create de-identified, aggregated, or anonymous datasets from AI Conversation Data, Training Data, usage information, and other information collected through the Service. We may use these datasets for product and performance enhancements, quality assurance, customer-satisfaction analysis, research, statistics, marketing insights, market analysis, and behavioral or usage analysis.
Our intent for these secondary analytics uses is to avoid using direct identifiers and to use information that has been de-identified, aggregated, or anonymized as appropriate. We will not attempt to re-identify data that we maintain as de-identified or anonymous except as permitted by law for testing whether de-identification processes are effective.
When information has been rendered truly anonymous so that an individual is no longer identifiable by means reasonably likely to be used, it is not Personal Data under the GDPR. Pseudonymized or merely de-identified information may remain Personal Data and will be protected accordingly.
6. Legal Bases for Processing Under the GDPR
| Processing Purpose | Typical Data | GDPR Legal Basis | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provide Accounts, subscriptions, core training and AI features | Account, Training Data, AI Conversation Data, transaction data | Art. 6(1)(b) — performance of a contract | Some optional processing may use consent or legitimate interests instead. |
| Security, fraud prevention, service integrity, support, product reliability | Technical, usage, account, support data | Art. 6(1)(f) — legitimate interests; Art. 6(1)(c) where legally required | Our interests include securing and improving the Service and protecting users. |
| Optional marketing communications and non-essential tracking | Contact, preference, cookie/device data | Art. 6(1)(a) — consent where required; otherwise Art. 6(1)(f) where permitted | You may withdraw consent or opt out of direct marketing. |
| Product improvement, analytics, customer satisfaction and behavioral analysis | Usage, AI interaction and Training Data, preferably de-identified/aggregated | Art. 6(1)(f) — legitimate interests, subject to balancing; consent where required | Anonymous data is outside GDPR once true anonymization is achieved. |
| Legal compliance and claims | Relevant account, transaction, communication, security data | Art. 6(1)(c) — legal obligation; Art. 6(1)(f) — legal claims / protection | Retention may be required by law. |
7. Health and Other Special-Category Data
Training Data or information you provide in AI conversations may, in some circumstances, constitute “data concerning health” or another special category of Personal Data under GDPR Article 9. Where Article 9 applies, Ascend will process such data only when an applicable Article 9 condition is satisfied.
For optional health-related information that is not strictly necessary to provide the Service, we may request your explicit consent under GDPR Article 9(2)(a). You may withdraw consent at any time, but withdrawal does not affect processing that was lawful before withdrawal. Where special-category data is necessary for a feature you request, we will identify the appropriate legal basis and any required additional condition.
8. How We Share Information
We may disclose Personal Data to the following categories of recipients as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Policy:
- Cloud hosting, infrastructure, database, security, monitoring, analytics, customer-support, communications, and software service providers.
- AI model and AI infrastructure providers, including Anthropic where Claude technology is used, to process prompts, context, outputs, safety signals, and related data required to provide AI functionality.
- Payment processors and subscription-management providers.
- Device, wearable, fitness-platform, file, API, or integration providers that you choose to connect.
- AI Clients you connect through the Ascend Connector, as described in Section 9.2.
- Professional advisers, auditors, insurers, and legal service providers.
- Affiliates or successors in connection with a merger, financing, acquisition, restructuring, sale of assets, or similar transaction.
- Government authorities, courts, regulators, or other parties where required by law or reasonably necessary to protect rights, safety, security, or prevent fraud.
- Other parties with your direction or consent.
We require service providers that process Personal Data on our behalf to handle it under appropriate contractual, confidentiality, security, and data-protection obligations.
9. Third-Party AI Processing
9.1 The AI Assistant
AI Assistant requests may be transmitted to third-party AI providers for model inference, safety, security, abuse prevention, and related service functions. Those providers may process data in the United States or other jurisdictions under applicable contractual terms.
Ascend’s privacy obligations to you are described in this Policy. Third-party providers may have their own security, retention, and legal-compliance obligations. We configure and contract with providers based on the service tier and features Ascend uses; because vendor capabilities and retention options can change, we periodically review these arrangements.
9.2 AI Clients You Connect
You may connect an AI Client to your Account through the Ascend Connector. Ascend never connects one for you: you start the connection from the AI Client, sign in to Ascend, and approve the permissions it asks for on Ascend’s consent screen.
Within the permissions you approve, a connected AI Client may receive:
- Your athlete profile: your name, primary sport, units, timezone, training anchors (such as functional threshold power, threshold pace, critical swim speed, and heart-rate values), body weight where you have provided it, and the goals, experience, and preferences you have recorded.
- The training zones Ascend derives from those anchors, and whether you have a Training Plan, with its name.
- Ascend’s workout library.
A connected AI Client may also, at your direction, update your profile and name and import a Training Plan into your Account. An imported plan is kept with the original text the AI Client sent, and replaces a Training Plan you already have only when you confirm.
The Ascend Connector does not give an AI Client your activities, recorded workout data, completed sessions, training history, progress, or AI Conversation Data.
Some of this information may be data concerning health (see Section 7). Where Article 9 of the GDPR applies, we disclose it to an AI Client on the basis of your explicit consent, which you give by approving the connection and may withdraw by disconnecting it.
Information an AI Client receives is processed by the provider of that AI Client under its own terms and privacy policy, not this Policy. That provider is not Ascend’s service provider, and Ascend does not control what it does with the information. We keep a record of each connection, including the AI Client’s name, the permissions you approved, and when it was granted.
You can disconnect an AI Client at any time from its connector settings, or ask us to revoke every AI Client’s access by contacting us as described in Section 19. Disconnecting stops further access; it does not recall information the AI Client has already received.
10. Data Retention
We retain Personal Data for no longer than reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Policy, taking into account the duration of your Account and subscription, the need to provide training history and AI conversation history, customer-support needs, security and fraud prevention, legal and regulatory obligations, limitation periods, dispute resolution, and our legitimate business needs.
AI Conversation Data, Training Plans, and Training Data may be retained while your Account is active so that we can provide history, continuity, performance analysis, product functionality, and customer support. After Account closure or deletion requests, identifiable data will be deleted, anonymized, or retained only where a lawful exception or continuing legal need applies.
We may retain anonymous or aggregated information for longer periods, including indefinitely, because it no longer identifies an individual. Backup copies may persist for a limited period in accordance with backup and disaster-recovery cycles before being overwritten or deleted.
11. International Data Transfers
Ascend is based in the United States, and Personal Data may be processed in the United States and other countries. Those countries may have data-protection laws that differ from those in your jurisdiction.
Where the GDPR, UK GDPR, or similar law requires a transfer mechanism, we use an available lawful safeguard, such as an adequacy decision, the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses, the UK International Data Transfer Addendum or other approved mechanism, together with supplementary measures where appropriate. You may contact us for information about applicable safeguards.
12. Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect Personal Data against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. No Internet transmission, storage system, AI system, or security control is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
If we experience a Personal Data breach, we will evaluate and provide notifications to regulators and affected individuals where required by applicable law.
13. Your Privacy Rights
13.1 EEA / GDPR Rights
- Access your Personal Data and obtain information about how it is processed.
- Correct inaccurate or incomplete Personal Data.
- Request erasure of Personal Data in circumstances provided by law.
- Request restriction of processing.
- Object to processing based on legitimate interests, and object at any time to direct marketing.
- Receive Personal Data you provided in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format and transmit it to another controller where the portability right applies.
- Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent, without affecting prior lawful processing.
- Lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority in your country of residence, place of work, or the place of an alleged infringement.
We may need to verify your identity before completing a request. Rights are subject to legal conditions and exceptions.
13.2 Automated Decision-Making and Profiling
Ascend may use automated systems, including AI, to generate or adapt Training Plans, match workouts, organize content, and personalize aspects of the Service. These functions are intended to assist training decisions and do not, by themselves, make decisions that produce legal effects or similarly significant effects on you within the meaning of GDPR Article 22. If that changes, we will provide any notices, safeguards, and rights required by law.
13.3 U.S. State Privacy Rights
Residents of California and certain other U.S. states may have rights to know or access Personal Data, correct inaccuracies, delete Personal Data, obtain a portable copy, and opt out of certain sales, sharing, targeted advertising, or profiling. Some states also provide a right to appeal our response to a request.
We will not discriminate against you for exercising a privacy right. We will honor legally required browser-based opt-out preference signals, including Global Privacy Control, where they apply to our processing.
Ascend does not sell identifiable Training Data or AI Conversation Data for money. If our use of advertising or analytics technologies constitutes a “sale,” “sharing,” or targeted advertising under applicable law, we will provide the required opt-out mechanism and honor applicable opt-out signals.
14. California Notice at Collection
| Category | Examples Ascend May Collect | Purposes |
|---|---|---|
| Identifiers | Name, email, account ID, IP address, device identifiers | Account management, security, communications, support, analytics |
| Commercial information | Subscription status, transaction history, products/services obtained | Billing, customer support, business operations |
| Internet / electronic activity | Usage, clicks, interactions, logs, diagnostics | Operate, secure, analyze, and improve the Service |
| Geolocation | Approximate location; precise location only if enabled | Localization, feature operation, security |
| Sensory / exercise / device information | Workout data, connected-device or sensor data, and related metrics | Training functionality, history, performance analysis, product improvement |
| Sensitive Personal Information | Account credentials; health-related or precise-location information if provided or enabled | Provide requested features, security, and purposes disclosed at collection |
| Inferences | Training preferences, engagement, adherence, usage or performance trends | Personalization, product analytics, customer satisfaction, service improvement |
| AI interaction content | Prompts, conversations, generated plans, edits, feedback | Provide AI features, history, support, quality and performance improvement |
Retention is described in Section 10. We do not collect or use categories of Personal Data for materially different, unrelated, or incompatible purposes without providing notice and obtaining consent where required.
15. Marketing Communications
You may opt out of marketing emails by using the unsubscribe link in the message or contacting us. We may still send non-promotional communications necessary to provide or secure the Service, such as transaction, account, service, legal, and security notices.
16. Children’s Privacy
The Service is intended for adults age 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect Personal Data from children through the Service. If we learn that a person under 18 has provided Personal Data in violation of our requirements, we will take reasonable steps to delete it, subject to applicable law.
17. Third-Party Links and Services
The Service may link to or integrate with Third-Party Services that have their own privacy practices. This Policy does not govern a third party’s independent processing of Personal Data. Review the privacy notices and settings of services you choose to connect.
18. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Policy from time to time. We will post the updated Policy and revise the “Last Updated” date. If a change is material, we will provide additional notice or obtain consent where required by law.
19. Contact Us; GDPR Representative / DPO
Ascend / Vision Quest Virtual LLC
1923 Skokie Valley Blvd.
Highland Park, Illinois 60035, United States
Privacy inquiries and rights requests: info@vqvelocity.com