Kevin Sinfield ready and willing to raise more MND funds with Ultra 7 in 7 in 7
KEVIN Sinfield will further show he was Born to Run after swapping Le Touquet for Lydgate.
For the rugby league legend and fundraising phenomenon will be backed along his Ultra 7 in 7 in 7 by the strains of Bruce Springsteen.
And he admits the preparation he fitted in while with England’s rugby union side, for which he is defence coach, at the recent World Cup helped with his day job.
The latest challenge in the name of former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow and the motor neurone disease community gets underway at noon today.
Sinfield and his team will run a marathon plus an extra mile to signify how far those caring for people living with the condition over the next seven days in seven cities – starting with Headingley, the ground where he and Burrow became legends, to York Minster.
The Boss will provide the music when he visits Dublin, courtesy of campaigner and TV personality Charlie Bird, who has himself raised millions as he lives with the condition.
And Sinfield, who knew around this year’s Six Nations this would be the challenge, has told how he fitting it in around his national team work, which saw them based at Le Touquet, assisted him.
“I trained every day in France,” he said, before revealing he was out on the streets of his native Saddleworth - where Lydgate lies - two days after getting back.
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“I need to do it. It’s probably my 30-minute window but I try and do something every day and it’s good for me. I need it if I’m going to function properly as a human being and get the best out of me.
“And it helped. Since I finished playing and entered the real world, running helps me fix things, it helps me clear my head, it helps me be a better person.
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“So I did run, a fair bit with a number of the coaches. It’s an important part of my daily routine and there were some really nice parts of France to run in.
“When I can’t run, for whatever reason, I don’t think I’m great company.”
Sinfield has already raised more than £150,000 before running one step and while efforts may be in Burrow’s name, his cause crosses codes because of the late Doddie Weir, who will be particularly felt in his Edinburgh leg, and Ed Slater.
And he told how members of England’s World Cup, some of whom played alongside and against the 35-year-old, who retired after being diagnosed with MND, are keen to get involved.
“They’re brilliant. They’re a great bunch of boys and I’ve loved working with them,” he added.
“They’ll all support in their own way – some will join us at the start or the finish, some through social media and some through text messages, which inspire and keep you going.
“All the players are big supporters of what Ed’s doing.
“That’s the great thing about rugby and team sports, you’re there and you look after each other whether you’re on the field or not.
“And they want to help Ed in any way they can. They’re fully aware that if one of their own falls into some difficult times they’ll be there to look after each other.”
Sinfield’s fourth challenge was always on the cards because Rocky IV was his favourite in that film series – going beyond is also not out of the question.
“I wasn’t that keen on Rocky V but after we’ve done the fourth one, we’re not far off seven – perhaps we should keep going,” he questioned before also visiting Cardiff, Birmingham, Brighton and London.
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“We’ve got a lot to fight for.”
*YOU CAN donate to Kevin Sinfield's fundraising effort at https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/kevin-sinfield