Rugby star Kevin Sinfield announces toughest marathon challenge to support MND charities

Rugby star Kevin Sinfield has announced plans to take part in an ultra-marathon in December to support the people by motor neurone disease (MND).

The former Leeds Rhino run will undertake 'The 7 in 7 in 7 Challenge' where he will run an ultra-marathon every day for a week in seven cities.

Sinfield has raised millions for MND charities since his ex-Rhinos teammate Rob Burrow was diagnosed with the disease in 2019.


Making the announcement, the Rugby star said: "I did say last year that the Ultra 7 in 7 would complete the trilogy, but there was always that caveat that Rocky 4 was my favourite Rocky film."

Sinfield stated that each 7 in 7 in 7 run, in various cities across Great Britain and Ireland, would be a full marathon with an additional mile symbolising the extra effort people make to support their friends during challenging times.

The rugby star said that each day's run would be completed in under four hours.

Terming the new challenge physically as the toughest, Sinfield said: "I have not been able to do the amount of training I have done previously because of my commitments for the World Cup, and we have set an ambitious time target to complete each ultra so people know that we will be pushing ourselves to the limit," he said.

The 7 in 7 in 7 Challenge would extend support to five charities: the MND Association, the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, the Irish MND Association, the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation, and the 4ED campaign aimed at providing support for Ed Slater, a former Gloucester and Leicester Rugby Union player. It would also include an appeal for Rob Burrow Centre for MND in Leeds.

The challenge is scheduled to commence on 1st December, as Sinfield and his team embark from Headingley Rugby Stadium towards York Minster.

Subsequently, the second day will involve a journey to Cardiff, while Birmingham will be the destination for day three.

Day four will witness a northward travel to Edinburgh, encompassing a crossing of the Forth Bridge before culminating at Murrayfield.

Concurrently, Dublin will accommodate Sinfield and his team on the fifth day, preceding their voyage to Brighton the subsequent day.

The culmination of the challenge is anticipated on 7th December, as the team runs from Twickenham Stadium to the Mall.