Former rugby star Rob Burrow has revealed the touching words his teammate shared as he carried him over the finish line of the Rob Burrow Marathon in order to raise money for motor neurone disease (MND) charities.
Burrow, who said that the marathon held in his honour was ‘one of the best days’ of his life, told how Kevin Sinfield, who has raised £8 million since his ex-teammate was diagnosed with the condition in 2019, said: ‘You’re not going to beat me, Rob, we are finishing together.’
The rugby league legend, 40, described the inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon as ‘one day in a million’ after the emotional scenes saw Sinfield lift Burrow from his wheelchair and kiss him on the cheek as they crossed the line.
He was pushed by former Leeds Rhinos teammate Sinfield around the 26.2 mile route in a specially-adapted chair, joining 12,500 other runners in the first Leeds marathon in 20 years.
The 42-year-old completed his Ultra 7 in 7 Challenge in November when he ran seven back-to-back ultra-marathons, running around 40 miles each day.
Kevin Sinfield celebrates as he runs along the finishing parade before crossing the line
Sinfield gives Burrow an affectionate kiss to mark the moment they cross the finish line
The event has raised in excess of £1 million for various charities, including those that research motor neurone disease
Father-of-three Burrow told the Sun: ‘It felt fantastic to be part of a team again with my mate Kevin as our captain.
‘Kevin joked that he didn’t want me to beat him by crossing the line (in my chair) first. I think he knew I had a cunning plan to claim that I finished before him.
‘I want him to know that I have a plan to beat him next year.’
The pair were supported by Rob’s wife, Lindsey, who raised more than £10,000 for the event alone.
He added that she ‘smashed it’, saying: ‘The amount raised in her name is testimony to her. I’m one proud husband’.
Since the marathon he and his family, which includes children Macy, 11, Maya, eight, and Jackson, four, have received messages of support from all around the world.
Sinfield was photographed as he gave his former teammate a kiss of affection to mark the moment they crossed the line, leading Rob to joke with BBC Look North that it could make people jealous.
‘By the time I was finished with the run I felt like I’d been running the whole way,’ he said. ‘It really did take it out of me but I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
‘I’m so happy to be involved in the first one of my marathons. It was a great day and to be carried in over the final few yards [by Kev] was incredible. And how many people will be jealous of the smacker on the cheek? It just shows the love and care for me – and I assure you I have the same for him.’
Ahead of the event, Lindsey, who completed her first full marathon with a knee injury, thanked participants for their support.
She said: ‘We’re unbelievably proud and we just want to say a massive thank you to all the amazing runners and everyone who has supported Rob and to the crowd who support on the day as well.
Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield during the 2023 Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon, which started and finished at Headingley Stadium
The rugby league legend, 40, who has motor neurone disease, described the inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon as ‘one day in a million’
Lindsey Burrow participates in the marathon, having personally raised more than £10,000 for the event alone
Rob Burrow and former team-mate Kevin Sinfield were raising money for motor neurone disease (MND) charities and used a specially-adapted chair to join 12,500 other runners in the first Leeds marathon in 20 years (Pictured together with Lindsey Burrow)
‘They will play a massive part of getting the runners through the event, so it’s a huge heart-felt thank you to them and we hope they enjoy the occasion.’
Burrow was diagnosed with MND after his loved ones and teammates noticed he was struggling to properly pronounce words and his speech had become slurred.
Soon afterwards Sinfield took him to see Doddie Weir, a Scottish rugby union icon who lived with MND for five years before his death at 52 in 2022.
Since then Burrow has lost his ability to speak and almost all his movement.
Lindsey told the Sun: ‘I try not to think about the future because I can’t imagine one without Rob in it. I may be in a bit of denial but I think you just have to take each day as it comes.
‘Rob doesn’t like to talk about it either and I have to respect his wishes because he’s the one living with this disease, the one going through it.’
At the marathon Sinfield and Burrow were joined by former Rhinos teammates, plus triathlete Jonny Brownlee and boxer Josh Warrington along various parts of the route.
Around 12,000 people took part in the marathon last weekend, raising over £800,000 for the Leeds Hospitals Charity.
It brings the amount raised to build a specialist MND centre at Seacroft Hospital to more than £4million.
