Temperatures of -50 centigrade and 100mph winds have become something of the norm to record-breaking adventurer Mike Stroud.

Now university members and the public can hear him recount his tales of extreme survival first-hand.

This Saturday, Dr Mike Stroud OBE delivers a lecture called “From Ice to Dust!” Extraordinary tales from an extraordinary traveller, at the Chemistry Lecture Theatre, Lensfield Road at 7pm.

Dr Stroud is best known for his adventures with Sir Ranulph Fiennes who has accompanied him on many record-breaking polar journeys. The pair first teamed up between 1986-1990 when they made several attempts to reach the North Pole on foot and unsupported.

These included a journey from Siberia which raised more than £2.4million for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

His most famous recent escapade was the completion – along with Fiennes – of seven marathons in seven days on seven different continents, again for charity.

Saturday’s presentation will give an account of these and other trips, describing the physical and psychological hardships that he and Sir Ranulph have endured. He will also use these topics to illustrate how vision, planning, teamwork and determination can make any idea successful.

Despite describing truly desperate conditions, his presentations are often full of humour.

Other expeditions of Dr Stroud’s include his trip to the South Pole in 1992/93 when he and Sir Ranulph completed the first unaided walk across the continent from coast-to-coast.

Remarkably, this entailed more than 1400 miles on foot without help from other men, animals or machines as they dragged their supplies and equipment behind them.

On his return he was awarded the OBE for human endeavour and services to charity and the Polar Medal for services to Arctic and Antarctic exploration.

It has not all been cold-weather climates, however. Stroud also completed the Marathon of the Sands across the Sahara Desert and the first unsupported non-stop run across the Qatari desert (200km in three days) in 2002.

Tickets to Saturday’s event cost £10. Doors open at 6.30pm for 7pm. Tickets can be bought on the door or by calling 01223 336540.

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