Kevin Sinfield shares toughest part of epic ultramarathon challenge after crossing finish line

Kevin Sinfield has completed his gruelling ultra-marathon challenge – taking on seven of the intimidating races in as many days – to raise money for the fight against motor neurone disease (MND).

The Oldham rugby legend embarked on his epic ‘7 in 7 in 7’ challenge on December 1, which saw him take on ultra-marathons in cities across the country. The last ultra-marathon took place in London on Thursday and marked the end of the challenge which began in Leeds and was inspired by former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow.

Rob was diagnosed with MND back in 2019. Since then, he has raised huge sums of money for charity with the help of his wife Lindsey and ex-teammate Kevin.

On each marathon, Kevin was – quite literally – going the extra mile, as he ran slightly further than the distance of a normal marathon, symbolising the amount that people can do for their friends when they are facing tough times.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post after the epic challenge, Kevin said: “The toughest part was today. It was the cumulative effect of it. We were having less sleep than we normally would. By today, we were pretty sore. The mental battle is something you have to get your head around.

"But you can’t shy away from it, you just have to get on with it and roll your sleeves up. Today was certainly the toughest day – but it was the most enjoyable too.”

The final leg of the challenge took Kevin from the Twickenham Stadium all the way to Trafalgar Square with his energetic team. It began at Headingley Stadium in Leeds on December 1.

The target for the challenge was £777,777 – a nod to the Number Seven shirt that Rob wore when he was playing for the Rhinos. So far, he has raised more than £630,000. Kevin’s fundraiser is still live and accepting donations.

The proceeds from his latest challenge will go to MND charities, including the MND Association which has plans to build a dedicated centre in Leeds for treating people with the illness.