Fear of failure has been keeping Kevin Sinfield awake at night despite the sheer exhaustion of his epic 230 mile charity run.
The 44-year-old rugby league legend was given a hero’s reception in Yorkshire on the fifth leg of his challenge to run seven 31-mile ultra marathons in seven days.. When the Mirror joined him in Hull, it had raised almost £600,000 for motor neurone disease charities in memory of his former Leeds Rhinos team mate Rob Burrow, who died from the condition in June.
Kevin told us: “We were told we had passed half a million pounds raised this morning which was just fantastic. You turn up at places like this, and you realise what has been created. All the kids on the streets, coming out of school to see us, all in support of the MND community. The response has been incredible.”
As I ran alongside the ‘Pied Piper’ of rugby league, with a posse of children, rugby players and supporters behind him on the track, Kevin told me he had been unable to sleep at the start of his challenge, despite extreme fatigue.
He said: “There is apprehension of what is to come. On the second day, there is the fear of not being able to do it, the fear of letting people down – that is the biggest thing. I cannot get to sleep with it.”
Flight and coach journeys around Britain have added to the physical demands of the challenge but he has refused to let it get him down. He said: “Food and sleep are the key. I am eating all the time. I have cold baths, massages. Anything to keep me going. Your body just keeps rebelling. But I have a wonderful support team and they know me pretty well by now.”
He speaks to his wife Jayne and sons Jack and Sam “about 10 times a day”, adding: “They keep me going too.” When one young fan questioned the toll it’s taking on him, he joked: “You feel it but this is meant to be hard.”
Taking to the mic, Kevin told the crowd of chanting schoolchildren he was humbled by their support before heading off on his remaining half marathon. I reflect on how it must feel to have to do the equivalent of the Great North Run after running 18 miles.
Kevin’s Running Home for Christmas challenge began with England football legends Peter Reid and John Barnes – along with 8,200 Santas – in Liverpool on Sunday. On his latest leg, Kevin was supported by Olympic legends Sir Jason and Dame Laura Kenny, as well as Hull Kingston Rovers’ rugby league team.
Jason, 36, said: “I did 21km and then did the mile with him here. I really enjoyed it.” Laura, 32, added: “What Kevin is doing, it is like nothing I have seen. He is doing such a fantastic job and he is making so many people so happy. It is a wonderful thing to see.”
Former Leeds Rhinos team mate Willie Poching, 51, now a coach, got a hug from Kevin as he spotted him walking around the track. Willie had flown in from New Zealand to show his support, and shared his memories of playing alongside Rob and Kev.
He said: “Kevin inspired me as a player and as a person, and still does. He was my captain at Leeds; he still is. He makes you want to be the best person you can be.”
Kevin’s four previous challenges have raised almost £10m for the MND community; the total rises to £16m including the exploits of Rob and his family. On Friday Kevin will run from Northampton to Leicester before the final leg of his run from Salford to his home town of Saddleworth, Greater Manchester, on Saturday.