Kevin Sinfield hopes to recreate atmosphere of previous 7 in 7 at York

The first leg of the Leeds Rhinos legend’s ‘7 in 7’ challenge will see him take on a route from Leeds’ Headingley Stadium to York Minster, arriving at approximately 4pm.

It will mark three years to the day since his first fundraising initiative in aid of the Motor Neurone Disease Association following the diagnosis of teammate Rob Burrow.

But the 43-year-old ‘super human’ does not plan on stopping adding to the in excess of £8 million he has raised thus far anytime soon.

“I think my wife thinks that I’m crackers, but I’m not!” he laughed.

“We’re really looking forward to going again and it’s been an incredible three years representing such a beautiful community. 

“The support has been wonderful and I think that the love and support for Rob and the MND community has shown right across the UK.

“I’m really happy to go again.

“There’s a thousand reasons why we shouldn’t go again, and I’m not going to make excuses, but there’s one big reason why we should, and that’s Rob and representing this beautiful community.

“He thinks we’re crackers! But he fully gets it, and he’s with us 100 per cent in spirit at the start and at the finish for us.

“He’s such an inspirational friend, and I’m delighted to wear the number seven again.”

Sinfield is raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, the disease that affects Leeds Rhinos teammate Rob Burrow.

Sinfield’s latest challenge will see him visit seven cities across the UK, including Cardiff, Edinburgh, Dublin and Brighton - chosen in part due to the number of MND sufferers in each city.

Whilst the 43-year-old will visit some of those destinations for the first time as part of his initiatives, he had no hesitations in returning to York.

His previous race to the Minster saw him greeted by what he described at the time as his “biggest crowd yet” on a rainy afternoon in mid-November last year, and he hopes that spectators will turn out in their droves to recreate that atmosphere this time around.

Crowds lined the streets when Sinfield visited the city last November, and he hopes to recreate that same atmosphere this afternoon. (Image: Emily Horner)

“York’s been a great place for us,” he told The Press of his decision to conclude the first leg of his latest challenge in the city.

“First of all, the people of York have been fantastic in their support. I’ve got a lot of friends there, and a lot of our sponsors are from there. 

“There’s been some people who have been really kind towards us.

“I have to say part of the reason that we’re going back to York is that last year, when we hit the end, it was the longest day that we ran. We did 43 miles that day.

“We ran into York and to where the Minster is up the cobbled streets, it started to get dark with the rain, the Christmas lights were on, and for all of us, it was a moment that we weren’t expecting because it was packed.

“We were all pretty emotional because we were tired and cold and wet, and to see all those people come out to see us was another big overwhelming moment.

“I think that was probably the moment that we all realised how important it was what we were doing, that we were changing how people felt about each other.

“York’s been a really special place.

“Whether we can replicate that again, I don’t know. I’d love to think that we could.

“But the people of York have been really special, and I have to say that they have everywhere, but that moment of running down the cobbled streets towards the Minster, and it being like something from a Charles Dickens novel, it was a memory that will stick with all of us for the rest of our lives.”

You can follow Kevin's progress along the route here.