MND Association patron Kevin Sinfield announces challenge number five
22 May 2024 News
Kevin Sinfield CBE will lead his fundraising team for their fifth annual challenge in support of the motor neurone disease (MND) community, with this year’s theme being ‘running home for Christmas’.
The week-long challenge will start on 1 December with Kevin and the team set to cover over 50km per day, visiting seven regions across Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The route will also see Kevin and the team start their penultimate leg at the Association’s national office in Northampton.
This year, rest will become a precious commodity as the team will attempt to complete each days’ distance in 7km blocks which will start on the hour, every hour. This means they will race against the clock to complete the 7km distance and have time to rest before starting the next stage.
Members of the MND community will have another chance to run with Kev and the team at set points during the seven days, which revives the popular Extra Mile events from last year’s 7 in 7 in 7 Challenge.
Like Kevin’s previous four challenges, the feat is based around the number seven – made iconic by his former teammate and fellow Association patron Rob Burrow CBE who wore the number 7 shirt during a glittering career with Leeds Rhinos and England.
Kevin’s ‘running home for Christmas’ route
Day 1: Liverpool to Wrexham
Day 2: Gloucester to Bristol
Day 3: Belfast
Day 4: Stirling to Glasgow
Day 5: Hull
Day 6: Northampton to Leicester
Day 7: Manchester
“It is a special time of year for our challenges. We always say that people like to see us battling through the elements but for us it is wonderful to arrive in cities with the Christmas lights up and everyone feeling good. The MND community are always in our thoughts but especially at that time of year when families are going through tough times. We want to meet as many of the MND community as we can along the way, whether that is at our stops after each 7km block, or at the Extra Mile events, which was so special last year. We are announcing a bit earlier this year so as many people as possible can get involved either as supporters or sponsors.”
“Like everyone who has followed Kevin’s team over the past few years, we are in awe of their achievements and relentless determination to raise funds and awareness of motor neurone disease (MND). There are more than 5000 people living with MND in the UK, and so many of them have told us how much it means to have Kevin championing them and raising the profile of this brutal disease. We’re delighted that during ‘running home for Christmas’ people affected by MND have another opportunity to run with Kev and the team, and excited to cheer them on from our national office in Northampton on the penultimate day of the challenge.”
More information about how to get involved will be shared closer to the event, so please keep an eye on our website and social media channels.
'We go again'
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) May 22, 2024
Kevin Sinfield is putting on his trainers again for the FIFTH time to run another 7 ultramarathons in 7 days.
The Leeds Rhinos rugby league legend told #BBCBreakfast he wants help from viewers to name the challenge to raise funds and awareness for MND pic.twitter.com/FFc5J78541