Former Wrekin Road Runner to lead expedition in Antarctica

But that is no deterrent for Wendy Searle who is planning to lead a team to pioneer a new route from the coastline of Antarctica to the geographic South Pole.

The mother-of-four, who now lives in Salisbury, Wiltshire, after moving from Telford in 2009, hopes to follow in the footsteps of Norwegian Caroline Mikkelsen – the first woman to set foot on Antarctica in 1935.

Falling in love with the continent through her work as UK operations and media manager for a previous expedition, the 39-year-old former member of Wrekin Road Runners was inspired to pioneer a new route and aims to set off with her team in November 2019.

They will be dropped off on a skiplane before covering 400 miles while cross-country skiing.

The journey will begin at the Ross Ice Shelf, and ascend a previously unclimbed glacier before crossing the Titan Dome and reaching the South Pole.

Pulling all the food, kit and equipment they need on special sleds called pulks, they will be facing daily temperatures of between -15C and -57C.

The team will have no immediate assistance but will have a satellite phone which they can use to call the logistics base.

Ms Searle said: "Antarctica is an amazing, beautiful place.

"I started reading a bit about the history of it. I fell in love with the place.

"This has been an idea for a year or so. I haven't grown up in a family of adventurers but the opportunity came along."

While on their expedition, they will be collecting new data on environmental changes and taking part in a study on mental resilience at the limits of human endurance.

Working with Dr Nathan Smith and Exeter University, the team will be recording data on their mental state both during the expedition itself and in the run up to the 55-day trip.

Using diaries, video and voice recordings, stress levels will be monitored and collected, and evidence of duress documented.

Data gathered from the team will form part of a study into mental health at the limits of human resilience, including new research into facial recognition technology, which will help bodies like the Centre for Research and Evidence on Security Threats, government agencies and space agencies around the world.

Eventually, scientists hope to map the data and provide interventions from remote locations which could help aid workers, humanitarian crises and astronauts.

Ms Searle, who works as a civil service press officer and formerly worked for Midland News Association at the Shropshire Star offices, said: "There's three things we are aiming to do.

"The first will be pioneering a new route.

"The second thing we aim to do is collect some data on where the ice shelf meets the continent and look at the effects of climate change.

"We will also be looking to do a project on mental health and human resilience which will involve doing video diaries.

"We will be bringing the information back so scientists can use it."

Ms Searle, who is still working on putting her team together, has been training for the expedition by dragging tyres around using a harness.

She added: "It's really important for strength and endurance.

"I have a couple of training expeditions coming up as well. I am going to Norway just after Christmas and Greenland in the spring."

For more information on the expedition, visit southpole2020.com