Vincent Carroll, from Newbridge, Co Kildare, is one of 15 men from around the world chosen to compete in the gruelling week-long event.

It will be the fifth such event in which Carroll (46) will have competed, having already run a total of 750km . . . the equivalent of 19 marathons . . . over deserts in Asia, Africa and South America during four similar events.

The 15 men will have to run 250km while carrying their tent, clothes and food in sub-zero temperatures over seven days at the end of this month.

The Antarctic event is the final leg of the Racing the Planet competition, which sees competitors run 1,000km over four events.

Carroll's first desert run, in Morocco, was run independently, but his last three . . . in Chile, China and Egypt . . . have been part of the Racing the Planet challange, of which the Antarctic will be the final leg.

While up to 100 people usually enter each event, only the 15 competitors to have taken part in each event were invited to run in the Antarctic.

"I did a number of mountain marathons when I was in the army, so that gave me the taste for it, " says Carroll. "The other four events have been in deserts, so this one will be completely new to everyone.

Wind chill is going to be the biggest danger. We'll certainly have to pace ourselves differently when we're running in the Antarctic."

Carroll entered a desert race in the Sahara in Morocco four years ago. Having competed that challenge, he entered Racing the Planet and has since competed in events in Chile's Atacama desert, the Gobi desert of China and the Egyptian Sahara.

The former Irish Ranger is training 10 hours a week in preparation for his trip to one of the most southerly points of the earth. Although the Antarctic is experiencing summertime at the moment, temperatures will still vary between -70C and-100C.

Temperatures will remain constant throughout the day and night owing to 24-hour sunlight.

"You don't get any time to acclimatise, which can be a problem, " says Carroll.

"The last race, the one in Egypt, was billed as the hottest race on earth, with temperatures of over fifty degrees. About a quarter of the people dropped out of that race because of the heat.

"That was the closest I've come to dropping out too, but I'm glad I managed to finish it."