Mike Stroud

Dr. Mike Stroud is perhaps best known for his record-breaking expeditions with Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

He first teamed up with Sir Ranulph in 1986 in attempts to be the first to make an unsupported journey by foot to the North Pole. After several failed attempts from Canada and Siberia, they went South again in 1992 and succeeded in breaking several world records - the first unaided walk across Antarctica form coast to coast and the longest unsupported walk in history. On his return in 1993 Mike was awarded an OBE for Human Endeavour and services to charity (The Arctic and Antarctic journeys raised more than £4 million for Multiple Sclerosis).

During this expedition they had covered 1400 miles without any help at all from men, animals or machines. They had dragged their supplies and equipment across the frozen ice shelves, climbed the Polar plateau and descended one of the largest glacier systems in the world. The temperature as often as low as minus 50 degrees, with winds in excess of 100 miles per hour.

Mike Stroud studied at the University of London and qualified as a doctor in 1979. Since then he has held a variety of hospital posts until 1989, he gained a specialist postgraduate qualification, Membership of the Royal College of Physicians.

In 1990, he became involved in full time research investigating endurance fitness, nutrition and the problems that people face when they need to work and survive in extreme conditions. Until recently he was the Senior Medical Officer at the Army Personnel Research Establishment in Farnborough but returned to full time medicine and is working in a NHS hospital.

He is the author of two books, 'SHADOWS ON THE WASTELAND', documenting his crossing of Antarctica, published by Jonathan Cape and 'SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST', about the relationship between nutrition and exercise - getting the best out of your body.

Mike led a team called 'Fit For Life' which consisted of Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Rebecca Stephens MBE and Mike's 72 year old father Vic the 'ECO Challenge'. The ECO Challenge is a gruelling race across Canada where the contestants have to use many skills such as climbing, skiing, canoeing, riding, whitewater rafting and mountain biking.

Mike uses his experiences to produce a highly polished presentation that can be tailor made to suit every occasion but of course, it lends itself particularly well to motivational themes but he can also relate it to teamwork and adapting to change.

Recent clients include: Esso, Unisys, North Derbyshire TEC, Morgan Stanley, Boehinger Mannheim, Sheraton Hotels, and Sears' Technology Conference,