SADDLEWORTH may have many things – but it does not have packs of dogs that chase after its knight of the realm, Sir Kevin Sinfield.
Grasscroft’s own heads out on the road again for his latest physical challenge to raise funds for charities seeking a cure for and awareness of motor neurone disease (MND) – 7 in 7: The Grand Finale – on Sunday, September 27.
This time, he and his team will be running from Hull Kingston Rovers’ Sewell Group Craven Park stadium to Old Trafford, where he will deliver the match ball for Super League’s Grand Final on Saturday, October 3.
On the way, they will visit all 12 English-based teams in rugby league’s top flight, and Saddleworth will feature heavily.
For on Thursday, October 1 – the fifth leg, between Huddersfield Town’s Accu Stadium and Salford City FC’s Peninsula Stadium – a seven-kilometre block the ultra-marathons he will complete are broken into, with each beginning an hour after the last one, will end and start at Uppermill’s Abaco.
On that day, Churchill Playing fields will also host an Extra Mile event, in which members of the MND community can join him as he looks to add to the £11 million he has raised in the name of friend and former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow.
He will enter Saddleworth over the A62 before dropping into Diggle.
From there, it is on to Uppermill and Greenfield, then heading up Oldham Road to Lydgate before dropping through Grotton, Springhead and Lees.
Preparation has taken place around the world as Sir Kevin is currently skills and kicking coach for England’s rugby union team.
And working in Argentina and South Africa brought their own challenges.
“We got chased by a pack of dogs on one particular day in Argentina,” he recalled. “That was a bit interesting.
“I ran in Buenos Aires last summer, so I had some routes that I remembered – but we were in a new place this time, so trying to figure out where to run is fun.
“And for the football World Cup semi-final between Argentina and England, we came down for food one evening and there was a note in the lift saying from six o’clock on the morning of the game, our hotel will be barricaded.
“We were right in the city centre and all I could think about was, ‘I’m supposed to be running in the morning. How am I going to get out?’ I was able to and there was no bother whatsoever.
“It was particularly tough in South Africa because we weren’t allowed out of the hotel unless we were going training.
“So much of my time there was on a treadmill, which anybody who does any decent, longer type runs will tell you is pretty dull.
“I managed to run once outside, which was game day morning, which was a 3km loop that was at the training ground where we were training. So that was pretty boring as well, although it was nice to be outside.”
Sir Kevin’s first challenge started in the car park opposite The Farrars Arms in Grasscroft in 2020, when he set off to run seven marathons in seven days with a fundraising target of £77,777 for Burrow.
However, things have grown rather bigger since then, with an eight-figure total raised over six physical feats and the knighthood being confirmed in 2026’s King’s Birthday Honours list.
But he remains the same person. The one spotted running along the streets of Saddleworth – although a half-marathon as he concluded his main training schedule was his 46th birthday present.
He is the same fella who is ‘running for a mate,’ who is hoping a cure for MND could be found one day, but who is proud of the impact his efforts are having.
“I’m still just massively humbled by the whole thing,” Sir Kevin added about his new title. “I’ve just done a bit of running for a mate.
“A cure would be great. I think we’re still a fair stretch from that, unfortunately.
“A cure is the dream for everybody that’s involved. I think more short-term is looking after families who were diagnosed yesterday, today and will be diagnosed tomorrow.
“The high-level care in this country, our home nations, isn’t good enough. We’re doing our best, but we’re letting families down with MND.
“And that’s been happening for decades and decades. So that’s the small bit we can try and shift in the short-term.
“Longer-term, of course, is finding a cure and then still looking after families who might be too far gone on the journey that we can bring back.
“The awareness piece is still huge. When someone walks into a room with MND, it makes such a difference when people understand, when people know.”
Six charities set to benefit from this year’s fundraising – the MND Association, Leeds Hospitals Charity, My Name5 Doddie Foundation, Darby Rimmer Foundation, MND Scotland and the Irish MND Association.
Challenge number seven may be ‘The Grand Finale’ but Sir Kevin has ideas of what he can do beyond that.
He previously admitted he fancied doing something for MND causes in Australia, where he will be for next year’s Rugby Union World Cup.
Since then, South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league star Jai Arrow has been diagnosed with the condition.
Seeing the reaction Down Under has only intensified his desire to help where he can.
Sir Kevin continued: “Jai being diagnosed brings it home again, and there’s so many similarities to Rob.
“He’s been so inspirational about how he’s gone about it. I’m really proud of the sport, when they do what they’ve done and the way they’ve supported him.
“And for his coach Wayne Bennett to support like he has, it doesn’t surprise me because that’s the type of guy he is.
“He’s a wonderful man. We’re still in touch and we speak to him regularly. I wish I’d have played under him.
“As soon as Jai’s announcement came, there was a flurry of phone calls. They know where I am, I’ve swapped a lot of messages with people over there, trying to support and do my bit.”
The fundraising page is open for supporters to donate at https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/7-in-7-the-grand-finale.
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