20 October 2021 Celebrity
Rugby League legend and MND Association Patron Kevin Sinfield OBE is putting his running shoes back on this November as he sets out on his latest fundraising challenge for those impacted by MND.
In December 2020, Sinfield led a team that raised over £2.7 million by running seven marathons in seven days. The former England captain, who joined the coaching staff at Premiership Rugby Union side Leicester Tigers earlier this year, will now attempt to run from Leicester’s home at Mattioli Woods Welford Road to Emerald Headingley Stadium in Leeds in 24 hours. Starting on Monday 22 November, the run will be split into 7km segments, each must be completed within a hour before the next one starts on the hour. Originally, the journey was planned to cover a distance of 100 miles but the actual final distance covers 101 miles with Sinfield once again proving he will always go the ‘extra mile’ for his friend and former team mate Rob Burrow.
Rob was diagnosed with MND in December 2019 and since then has publicly championed raising funds and awareness for everyone impacted by the disease.
Kevin’s initial target for ‘The Extra Mile Challenge’ is to raise £100,000 as he runs just short of four marathons back to back in a day. This challenge, inspired by Rob, will be raising money directly to benefit people living with MND.
Donations will be split equally between the Leeds Hospitals Charity appeal to build the Rob Burrow Centre for MND supporting people living with MND and their families, and the MND Association which funds multi-disciplinary care delivered at the Centre and others across the country, as well as research into potential treatments for the disease.
Donate to Kevin's Extra Mile Challenge
Commenting on the challenge, Kevin said,
“Undoubtedly this will the toughest challenge I have ever attempted but I know it will mean so much to so many people if we can reach our fundraising target. In my short time at the Tigers, the people in Leicester have made me feel so welcome and it is wonderful that we have been able to come up with an event that starts in Leicester and finishes with us coming home to Emerald Headingley.
“The response from the public last year was breath taking and I know, from feedback we have received from the MND Association, every penny that was raised has been put to good use to help members of the MND community across England and Wales. The more money we can raise, the more people we can help and ultimately find a cure for this cruel disease. We have seen science and research do some incredible things over the last year and I know so much work is going on to find a breakthrough for MND. I am sure there will be tough times as we pound the streets during the day and night, in cold November temperatures, but knowing the good we can all achieve together will be a huge motivation for everyone involved,”
The route for the run has been devised by the Carnegie Great Outdoors team at Leeds Beckett University and, unlike last year when Covid restrictions impacted supporter numbers, the route will be publicised in advance so well wishers can come out to cheer the team on.
Kevin appeared on BBC Breakfast this morning (20 October) to talk about the challenge and received good luck messages from Cris Hoskin alongside Rob Burrow and his family. You can watch the interview below.