The current Arctic conditions couldn’t have come at a better time for endurance athlete Ben Thackwray who is preparing to set a new speed record across the ice cap in Greenland.

Ben, 29, was forced to abandon the crossing of the world’s second largest ice cap last year after succumbing to severe frostbite which could have led to the loss of his hand.

But, after making the devastating decision to turn back, he vowed to return and complete the Endure expedition along with fellow adventurer Ian Couch.

Now the two men are preparing to back to Greenland in April to complete their mission – and Ben, who is from Yeadon, has been getting in some serious practice with his cross country skis.

“Training is going really well, and the conditions recently have been particularly good, making running really difficult ,” he said. “I’ve even had my cross country skis out on Nunroyd Park!”

The two men were aiming to travel 370 miles in an unsupported crossing of the ice cap last year when disaster struck and they were forced to abandon their attempt on the 21-day record.

But they are determined to succeed in their objective – and they have the backing of explorer Ranulph Fiennes.

They are being supported by Fiennes’ expedition trust Transglobe Expedition.

Ben said: “I met Ranulph down at the Royal Geographic Society before Christ-mas, where we should be talking later in the year if all goes well, and he was very congratulatory about everything we’ve done so far and said we did exactly the right thing abandoning last year and that they all backed us for this year.”

Now Ben and Ian, who are still looking for sponsorship, are in training for their latest attempt on the ice cap.

Ben said: “We’ve got the same strategy, with the same target, full coast to coast, 360 miles in 12 days, unsupported, unassisted. I really can’t wait to get out there again, and get my own back on Greenland!

“We go slightly later than last year so we will hopefully just miss the end of the storm season which we got caught in last year when I got frostbite.”

All the fingers on Ben’s right hand were severely affected and although they all look normal now he still has no feeling in his thumb.

As part of his training, Ben will be running a 90-mile ultra distance marathon over two days later this month.

He said: “It’s a long way to run but particularly with the conditions at the moment it will be ‘interesting’! I’m looking forward to it though because I know that the more effort I put in now, the more I’ll be able to do in Greenland. And what we are trying to do is over and above the norm so I need to put the effort in now!”

This year Ben, who has previously rowed the Atlantic and run across the Sahara, is determined to break the ice cap record. And he is planning to tackle the South Pole next year.

“Getting sponsorship for the Endure Greenland is important, and us doing well this year is vital. We have to secure our strategy to take on to our planned South Pole traverse in 2011-12, the Endure More expedition. I’m sure we’ll nail it this year,” he said.

To sponsor Ben, see his website at benthackwray.com, email him at ben@benthackwray.com or phone 07834 875 669.