Kevin Sinfield will run an ultramarathon of at least 45km (27.9 miles) on each day of his challenge [Getty Images]Rachel Russell - YorkshireWed, December 3, 2025 at 8:04 AM UTC·4 min readFormer rugby league star Kevin Sinfield is set to finish his latest challenge of completing seven ultramarathons in seven days in Yorkshire.
Ex-Leeds Rhinos player Sinfield started running the 7 in 7: Together routes in the UK and Ireland on Monday to raise money for and awareness of motor neurone disease (MND) in honour of his late friend and former teammate Rob Burrow.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMany of the locations he will pass through have connections to other sporting stars who have been diagnosed with MND.
He will spend Thursday running around Sheffield before the challenge culminates on Sunday with the York to Leeds leg, ending at Headingley Stadium.
Sheffield checkpoints
Sinfield and his team will visit South Yorkshire on his fourth day of the challenge on Thursday, with the route starting at Sheffield United's ground at Bramall Lane at 08:40 GMT.
The route will then head to Abbeydale at 09:40, the home of Sheffield Collegiate Cricket Club, and pass two of the city's rugby clubs, Sheffield RUFC and Sheffield Tigers, at 10:40, before calling at the English Institute of Sport at 12:40 and passing through Hillsborough.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe leg will finish at the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience at the University of Sheffield, which carries out work to help in the fight against MND, at approximately 14:46.
York to Leeds leg
The 7 in 7: Together challenge ends on Sunday when Sinfield will arrive at the AMT Headingley Stadium - where he and Burrow played together during their rugby careers.
It will be his team's first official visit to Leeds since Burrow's death.
The team will start the run from Queen Ethelburga's College near York at 08:40, before going through Green Hammerton and Cattal at 09:40, Wetherby at 10:40, Linton at 11:40, and East Rigton and Bardsey at 12:40.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe runners will enter Leeds through Moortown and Meanwood at around 13:40.
Sinfield and his team will then take part in the Santa Dash at Leeds Beckett University's Headingley campus at 14:40 before completing the final Extra Mile with members of the MND community at Leeds Beckett.
They will then set off for AMT Headingley at 14:54 to join the Santas to celebrate the challenging finishing.
What is the challenge?
Sinfield is also hoping to raise £777,000, which has been the fundraising target for the other challenges in the past [PA Media]Sinfield will run an ultramarathon of at least 45km (27.9 miles) each day of his challenge, in bursts of 7km (4.3 miles).
Each day will be run in honour of a local personality who has championed his cause, and will also include an Extra Mile event where Sinfield joins members of the MND community.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe previously told BBC Breakfast this was for "families to share in those moments, when they've spent so much time alone".
"We stop in different locations and people come out and see us, beep their horns, and come and bring their smiles; the support has been immense," he said.
Who is Kevin Sinfield?
Kevin Sinfield (left) and Rob Burrow became friends while playing at Leeds Rhinos together [PA Media]The 45-year-old has previously completed five similar ultramarathon challenges and has raised more than £10m for research into MND.
He was inspired to carry out the challenges after his former Leeds Rhinos teammate Burrow, was diagnosed in 2019. He died at the age of 41 in June last year.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSinfield is one of the most successful players in Super League history and played his entire professional career with Leeds Rhinos, with his final game being 10 years ago.
He is now a coach of the England rugby union team.
Sinfield is also hoping to raise £777,000, which has been the fundraising target for the other challenges.
Burrow played in a number seven shirt.
Who will benefit?
Sinfield will split the money he raises between the MND Association, the Leeds Hospital Charity, Irish MND Association, the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, MND Scotland and the Darby Rimmer Foundation.
The charity has said that the money raised from his previous five challenges has helped them give out more financial support grants and start a network that allowed people with MND to take part in important clinical trials.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementEarlier this month, the Prince of Wales officially opened a specialist centre for MND which was also paid for in part through Sinfield's fundraising.
Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Sinfield brings ultramarathon challenge to Suffolk
Sinfield reveals latest MND fundraising challenge
William officially opens Rob Burrow Centre for MND
Related links
7 in 7: Together
