Leeds Rhinos legend Kevin Sinfield has now raised an astonishing £1.4MILLION as he finishes his seventh marathon in seven days for the MND Association for former team-mate Rob Burrow
- Kevin Sinfield ran seven marathons in seven days to raise a target of £77,777
- But he has smashed that figure and on Monday, passed the £1million mark
- After finishing his final run, Sinfield said that it had been the best week of his life
- Liverpool star James Milner and cricketer Ben Stokes have praised Sinfield
Kevin Sinfield admitted he was ‘blown away’ after raising more than £1.4million for the Motor Neurone Disease Association by running seven marathons in seven days.
The Leeds Rhinos legend began his challenge last Tuesday hoping to make £77,777 in support of his old team-mate Rob Burrow, the former Rhinos No7 who is suffering from MND.
But Sinfield passed the £1m mark during his final 26.2mile run yesterday morning – receiving a hero’s reception from locals as he crossed the line close to his home in Saddleworth.
Kevin Sinfield pictured on his final marathon on Monday as he bids to raise money and awareness for the fight against MND after his former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow was diagnosed with the disease
‘I’m overwhelmed,’ said the 40-year-old Rhinos director of rugby. ‘I’m just so happy we got it done.
‘After the first day we were all a bit worried we had bitten off more than we can chew. But the donations, the support, just fuelled that last run.
‘Right at the start we were worried we might not get £77k, let alone what we have done. To raise over £1m, we are blown away. I can’t thank people enough.
Sinfield was greeted by his friend and old team-mate Burrow at Headingley Stadium after he finished his fifth marathon on Saturday
‘Rob has been an inspiration for us. We have all been so proud of wearing this vest for our good mate and his family, but also for the MND Association, they do so many good things.
‘This will make such a difference for so many families across the UK. The sooner there is a cure for this disease the better because it’s the cruellest of cruel diseases.’
Sinfield, who captained Burrow for 13 years at Leeds before his retirement in 2015, was greeted by his friend at the finish line of his fifth marathon at Headingley on Saturday
Sinfield finished his last marathon on Monday with a time of three hours and 41 minutes and with the total money raised rocketing beyond the £1.4m mark
Burrow said: ‘Kev has always been a role model for me, and someone who I hold in the highest regard. It means everything to me.’
Sinfield completed yesterday’s final run in an impressive three hours and 41 minutes – his times varying only from 3hr 35m to 3hr 48m throughout his monumental week, which he did with five friends.
He added: ‘It has been the best week of my life – to be back in a team and have a challenge like this, getting ready every day to go again and fight like Rob has got to do.
Upon finishing the final run, Sinfield said he was overwhelmed by how much money he had raised and said the week was ‘probably the best of my life’
Sinfield said he was fearful of not reaching his £77,777 target at the beginning of his week
‘My wife said to me, ‘If somebody offered to double it would you do it again?’ and in an instant I said, ‘Yeah, absolutely’.
‘However busted and broken I am now, I do it because that’s what mates do – they look out for each other. I’d have done it no matter what – even if I had to crawl – because it meant that much to me.
‘There will be a bit of a lull tomorrow, we will miss it. We might just meet back down at 7am again and go for another run!
‘But in a couple of years we will look back with a great deal of pride on being able to help people.’
Former Leeds Rhinos star Rob Burrow was diagnosed with motor neurone disease last year
Sinfield pictured with Burrow in January in a testimonial match where he took to the field in the closing moments of the game at Headingley