His epic challenges in 2020 and 2021 have already raised over £5m after he ran seven marathons in seven days in 2020 before running for 24 hours and 101 miles from Leicester to Leeds last autumn. His current fundraising efforts this year have already passed £700,000.

Who is Kevin Sinfield?

Kevin Sinfield OBE is the defence coach at rugby union side Leicester Tigers but made his name in rugby league with Leeds Rhinos. The 42-year-old played over 500 times for the Rhinos between 1997 and 2015.

Kevin Sinfield during day five of the Ultra 7 in 7 Challenge from Stokesley to York. The former Leeds captain is set to complete seven ultra-marathons in as many days in aid of research into Motor Neurone Disease, by running into Old Trafford at half-time of the tournament's finale on November 19. Picture: Isaac Parkin/PA Wire.

He is Super League’s all-time points scorer with 3,443 – almost 1,000 ahead of Danny Brough who is second on the list. He was part of one of the competition’s most successful sides as he won the Super League title seven times, the World Club Challenge three times and and the Challenge Cup twice.

In 2015, he captained Leeds to an historic treble as they claimed the Super League League Leaders’ Shield alongside their Challenge Cup and Grand Final wins.

After leaving Leeds Sinfield joined union outfit Yorkshire Carnegie on an 18-month contract. After he hung up his boots he joined the RFL as Director of England performance before moving back to Leeds Rhinos as their first-ever director of rugby. He left Leeds at the end of the 2021 season to join Leicester Tigers’ coaching staff.

Why is he running seven ultra marathons in seven days?

Kevin Sinfield in action on day five of the Ultra 7 in 7 Challenge from Stokesley to York. The former Leeds captain is set to complete seven ultra-marathons in as many days in aid of research into Motor Neurone Disease, by running into Old Trafford at half-time of the tournament's finale on November 19. Picture: Isaac Parkin/PA Wire.

Sinfield plans to run around 40 miles for seven consecutive days en route to Old Trafford in Manchester in a bid to raise £777,777 for five MND charities. He has already completed five full days.

The former Leeds Rhinos captain has been inspired by close friend and ex-team-mate Rob Burrow, who was diagnosed with MND in late 2019, plus former Scotland rugby player Doddie Weir and ex-Bradford City skipper Stephen Darby, who also live with the disease.

Sinfield is scheduled to finish his Ultra 7 in 7 challenge on Saturday on the Old Trafford pitch at half-time during the men’s Rugby League World Cup final between Australia and Samoa. He is currently running on day six of his challenge which finishes at the University of Bradford Stadium.

His latest fundraising challenge will mainly benefit the MND Association and Leeds Hospitals Charity’s appeal to build the Rob Burrow Centre for MND in Leeds.

There will also be donations to MND Scotland, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation and the 4ED campaign, in support of former Gloucester and Leicester rugby player Ed Slater, who was recently diagnosed with the disease.

Who is Kevin Sinfield? Why is he running seven ultra marathons in seven days?