Kevin Sinfield will run seven ultramarathons in seven days in November as he continues his campaign to raise money and awareness to help people affected by motor neurone disease.
This is the third challenge in as many years taken on by Sinfield, whose great friend and former Leeds Rhinos teammate Rob Burrow is battling the condition.
Sinfield, 42, previously ran seven marathons in seven days in 2020 before running from Leicester Tigers’ home ground Welford Road, where he is defence coach, to the Rhinos’ Headingley stadium in less than 24 hours last October, raising more than £5m.
This time Sinfield will run from Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh to Old Trafford in Manchester, visiting Melrose, Newcastle, Middlesbrough, York, Leeds and Bradford, and covering more than 60km a day.
He will start on Sunday 13 November and is aiming to arrive at Old Trafford at half-time during the Rugby League World Cup Final the following Saturday.
Burrow is one of several former sportsmen fighting MND, including rugby union’s Doddie Weir and Ed Slater and the footballer Stephen Darby.
The main beneficiaries of the challenge will be the MND Association and Leeds Hospitals Charity’s appeal to build the Rob Burrow Centre for MND in Leeds, while there will also be donations to MND Scotland, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation and the 4ED campaign.
Sinfield said on therhinos.co.uk: “Undoubtedly, this will be the toughest challenge yet. We have tried to combine elements of our two previous events to create the Ultra 7 in 7.
“People living with MND have no choice but to live with their condition every day and they are inspiration for all of us taking part in the challenge. There has been some exciting news in recent days about current drug trials, and we can all feel that a breakthrough is close.
“MND is not incurable; it has just been underfunded. I have belief that by raising funds we can give the scientists and researchers the best possible opportunity to find that cure. We also need to help those living with MND, to give them hope and love so they know we are with them.”
Burrow, who celebrated his 40th birthday on Monday, added: “I’ve said it many times before, everyone should have a friend like Kevin. I am sure this will be tough and I can’t wait to see Kevin and the guys along the way to cheer them on.
“People have already been so generous over the last two years and, as a patron of the MND Association, I would like to say a massive thank you – your support has made the world of difference to so many people. Go safe Kev and please support them as much as you can.”
