Alex Hibbert, at only 23-years-old, has spent more than 18 weeks unsupported in the Arctic. He recently completed the Trans Greenland Expedition. At 1374 miles, is the longest fully unsupported polar expedition in history. Alex plans to release his first book, The Long Haul in March 2010. We caught up with Alex to ask him about his inspiration and motivation for expeditions around the globe.

What historic expedition do you draw inspiration from?

Alex: The expedition which has always gripped my imagination and held my admiration was the 1995 unsupported journey to and from the North Pole by Richard Weber and Misha Malakhov. The distance and technical difficulty of their expedition was enormous and they kept going despite most ‘experts’ claiming they would fail.

What sparked your passion for ‘adventure’?

I did not grow up in ‘the wild’ and had a fairly conventional upbringing in England. When I turned fifteen I started to discover lots of unusual sports, such as ultra-distance kayaking, and began to read about the polar regions and the mountains. They had me spell-bound and I decided I simply had to get involved. Each mini-adventure I went on then led on to something a bit bigger and it grew from there.

What has been your greatest challenge to date?

Without doubt keeping my mind and body in one piece for the near-four month TransGreenland expedition. You need to have a flexible and well thought out routine and the ability to manage the wanderings of your own mind.

What adventurer do you most admire?

I am not that keen on having ‘heros’, but if I had one it would have to be Fridtjof Nansen. He was a pioneer in every sense of the word and had great breadth – also being a diplomat and geologist.

What do you feel has been your greatest accomplishment as an adventurer?

Getting through the final 10 days of the TransGreenland on next to no food and covering the greatest distances of the trip. Both George and I were delirious and we pushed through to the end. We could have simply got on the satellite phone and called in an emergency evacuation.

You spent over 100 days crossing Greenland in 2008? How did you train for that?

I was a keen athlete beforehand and so had a good platform of fitness and strength to work on. I am not keen on tyre-hauling – I think it’s a bit of a gimmick for the cameras. For me, lots of time running, lifting the right weights and lots of road cycling was perfect.

What is a ‘day in the life of Alex’ like while you are training?

I tend to train six days a week and between one or two times a day. I alternate between cardiowork and strength training to give different muscles a rest and time to develop. Most of my time in between training is spent working on photographs, writing the book or planning new expeditions!

If we went through your gear for that expedition…what would we be have been surprised to find?

I think you would be surprised by the mundane nature of lots of my kit – I am not too hung up on having ‘newest, best polar gadget’. You would find a £5 red wooly hat, a bottom of the range GPS and fixed-plate compass, and Britney Spears on my iPod! Oh, and map of my expedition route ripped out of an in-flight magazine!

What are your top 5 gear items that are imperative for you on every adventure?

A simple compass, a camera, good merino wool underwear, quality eye protection and an MSR stove.

Do you have any adventures planned for the immediate future?

Absolutely! I have major expeditions planned for both the Arctic and Antarctic over the next few years. I can’t divulge exact details yet – but they will be unsupported, brand new concepts and designed to push the envelope of what is possible in classic polar travel. I will also make a big effort to spend more time in the mountains and develop my skills there.

Any advice for aspiring adventurers out there?

When it comes to planning, don’t look at what has already been done and copy it, thinking it’s the only way. Think of new ideas, new routes, new ambitions. Steer away from thinking of gimmicks to try and attract attention – people can see through it. In terms of gaining the necessary funding, don’t spend months cold-calling but attend events, network and speak to people. This is the only way to make the critical relationships which lead to big sums of funds. Alternatively, try to come up with sponsor-less strategies for getting funding. There are some good ones out there if you think laterally!

Related posts:

1. Polar Explorer Alex Hibbert’s Book: ‘The Long Haul’ Is Out
2. Interview With Polar Explorer Eric Larsen
3. Polar Explorer: Ben Saunders
4. Interview with Adventurer Lei Wang
5. Explorer Starts With The South Pole In Effort To Reach “Three” Poles in 365 Days