FORMER Leeds Rhinos captain and Saddleworth resident Kevin Sinfield embarks on a new gruelling challenge today as he looks to run 101 miles in 24 hours in an effort to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) research.

The mammoth run will see him set off from the Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium, Leicester Tigers' ground, where Sinfield coaches, to Emerald Headingley Stadium, where the Rhinos play.

As with all challenges Sinfield takes part in, it will aim to raise funds for MND, which his former teammate at Leeds Rob Burrow suffers from.

Speaking ahead of the run, Sinfield said: “Going every hour, it’s going to be tortuous at times.

“I have to say, I want it to be horrible, I want it to be unpleasant.”
Sinfield and two others, David Spencer and Chris Stephenson, will aim to complete the 101 miles in 24 hours and will be joined by others along with way, with some running alongside them and some on bikes.

The Leicester Tigers new defence coach explained that the original plan was to do a cycle or a walk, but after he came across an event called Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra in America, he was interested in a testing run.

He said: “I read about that and thought ‘I wouldn’t mind having a crack at 24 hours.’”

His wife, Jayne, gave him the idea of running from Leicester to Leeds, while Leeds Beckett University helped to map out the route.

This challenge comes after he raised more than £2.7m by running seven marathons in seven days in December last year.

Sinfield said: “I do feel like we’re winging it a little bit but I felt like that last year.”

The Oldhamer said friend and former teammate Burrow “burst out laughing” when he told him about the challenge.

Before training for this event, Sinfield admitted he had never ran further than a mile in one run and that one of the biggest challenges would be not being able to sleep during the 24 hours.

To donate to the superb cause, visit https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/kevin-sinfields-the-extra-mile-challenge.