The Princess Royal joked that she could accompany Sir Kevin Sinfield’s running team on horseback as she joined hundreds of supporters at the latest stage of his final endurance event to raise money for motor neurone disease charities.
Sinfield is completing an ultra-marathon every day for seven days as part of his 7 in 7: The Grand Finale venture. On Monday, he arrived at the University of York’s sport centre, where he was greeted by Anne and scores of well-wishers.
As they chatted, Sinfield agreed with the Princess Royal that the term “fun run” was a “contradiction”.
Anne said: “I can run but I don’t do it for fun. I’m past that stage.”
When Sinfield told her she was welcome to join the event at any point, the Princess Royal replied: “I’ll stick with horses.”
One of Sinfield’s team members said that nobody had ever joined them for a leg on a horse. Anne laughed and said: “That would be nice.”
The Princess Royal also asked Sinfield whether he was enjoying the sunny weather. He replied that, if he was being “brutally honest”, he would love the rain to be “bouncing down”, explaining that fundraising benefits when people watching on television think he is having a hard time.
When Anne asked about his diet and nutrition for the runs, Sinfield said he would let her into his secret: he is fuelled by bacon butties.
After speaking with the Princess Royal, Sinfield addressed supporters on the track.
“Really, really well done everybody,” he said. “Keep sharing your stories, keep looking after each other.”
Anne watched as Sinfield completed four laps of the university’s athletics track with his supporters. She then banged a drum seven times to send him on his way.
She also spoke to people who had come to support the event, including many people living with motor neurone disease, or MND.
Former England rugby union player Lewis Moody, who announced last year that he had been diagnosed with MND, surprised Sinfield by turning up at the track. Moody had told him the previous day that he could not attend.
“Kevin Sinfield is a remarkable human being,” Moody said.
“If this is going to be Kev’s last big challenge – which we don’t believe for a second – then I had to be here to thank him for all that he’s done,” he said. “I’m grateful to be here as someone living with MND. I’m also just proud to be here participating and supporting Kev.”
Asked about the conversation between Sinfield and Anne, Moody said: “Kindred spirit recognises kindred spirit. And I think she sees that in Kev.”
“To have her energy and presence here today is just a fantastic thing for this community,” he added.
Inspired by his former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow, who died in 2024 after living with MND for four-and-a-half years, Sinfield and his team have raised more than £11 million for the MND community since his first annual challenge in 2020.
Six charities are set to benefit from this year’s fundraising: the MND Association, Leeds Hospitals Charity, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, Darby Rimmer Foundation, MND Scotland and the Irish MND Association.
Each ultra-marathon is divided into seven-kilometre blocks. Each block must be completed within an hour before the next one begins. Every day also includes an “extra mile” event, during which Sinfield joins members of the MND community in completing four laps of a running track.
The route is due to visit the home grounds of all 12 English Betfred Super League clubs before finishing on the pitch at Old Trafford ahead of the Super League Grand Final. Sinfield’s son Jack is due to play for Wakefield against Warrington in that match.
Sinfield set off on Sunday morning from Hull KR’s Craven Park before heading across the city to the MKM Stadium, the home of Hull FC, and then towards Market Weighton. The first day’s event finished in Shiptonthorpe.
Former England manager Gareth Southgate also joined Sinfield’s team during the run towards the finish.
Monday’s leg was due to continue to the LNER Community Stadium, home of the Knights, as well as York Minster and York racecourse, before finishing at Bishopthorpe Palace, the official residence of the Archbishop of York.
