Hero Kevin embarks on his final day of 7 in 7 Ultra Marathon challenge
Kevin Sinfield concludes his seven-day ultra marathon challenge to raise funds for MND charities in memory of his late friend Rob Burrow. The final leg includes events in Salford and Etihad Campus, with support from Olympian Beth Tweddle and actor Peter Ash.
Kevin Sinfield’s grueling seven-day ultra-marathon odyssey reaches its emotional climax today as the rugby legend pounds his way through the final 26.2-mile stretch from Salford to his hometown of Saddleworth.
The 40-year-old former Leeds Rhinos captain, who has already conquered six consecutive daily marathons across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, will cap his extraordinary fundraising effort with a mass Santa Dash finale. His ambitious target: £777,777 for motor neurone disease charities - the number seven chosen to honor Rob Burrow’s iconic jersey number during his glittering rugby league career.
Burrow, Sinfield’s lifelong friend and inspiration, lost his battle with MND in June. Today’s final push includes an Extra Mile event at Manchester’s Etihad Campus, where Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle and Coronation Street actor Peter Ash - whose character famously battled MND - will join Sinfield alongside members of the MND community.
“I know why I’m here now,” Sinfield declared as he reflected on his journey. “I’m here to help the MND community and to finally realise that at the age of 40 has been very special. These challenges have opened my eyes to MND. All over the country there are families going through what the Burrow family has been through and I want to keep trying to help.”
The absence of his beloved friend weighs heavily on the former rugby star. “I miss his humour, I miss him every day. I’ll miss his texts every evening and it will be emotional. But he would want us to continue this fight. He would want us to rip into this challenge with a smile on our faces. He’s at the heart of this and I want to make sure we represent him and his family in the right way.”
This marks Sinfield’s fifth charity challenge for MND causes, though the first without Burrow’s physical presence. The MND Association’s Director of Services and Partnerships, Sally Hughes, praised his efforts: “Thanks to Kev and the enormous success of his challenges, millions more people are aware of the devastating impact motor neurone disease has on individuals and their families. With Kev’s support, the MND Association has been able to help many more people and families affected by MND.”
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