Kevin Sinfield and Rob Burrow’s friendship is full of emotion, endurance and fun. We spoke to honorary Yorkshireman Kevin after his epic Leeds marathon when he carried his pal across the finishing line.
One of the enduring images of 2023 will undoubtedly be the sight of Kevin Sinfield carrying his former Leeds Rhinos teammate Rob Burrow over the finish line of the inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon in May.
The eyes of the nation were on them, but for these two men it was an intimate moment, one that was testament to a friendship forged on and off the rugby pitch over the years, and fortified when Rob was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in 2019.
Today, Rob is immobile and unable to speak, but with Kevin pushing him in a specially adapted wheelchair, they completed the 26.2miles together to huge cheers from the Yorkshire crowd.
‘Rob inspires me every day and I love him to bits. I think that finish was a symbol of what the marathon was about. It was built on friendship and about running for a mate with a mate. And to get that support, from the runners, many doing a marathon for the first time, to the volunteers and the people of Leeds who were cheering everyone on, it was unbelievable,’ says Kevin, 42.
To date, he has raised over £8million for MND charities by undertaking incredible physical feats such as Seven In Seven (seven marathons in seven consecutive days) in 2020, The Extra Mile (101 miles in 24 hours) in 2021 and Ultra 7 in 7 (seven back-to-back ultra marathons) in 2022 and of course the marathon, which began and finished in Headingley Stadium and was the first in Leeds for 20 years.
But raising funds is only part of his and Rob’s prerogative. They also wants to raise awareness regarding the reality of MND, an incurable condition that progressively damages the nervous system leading to muscle weakness and visible wasting, not only for those diagnosed, but for their loved ones.
The fact Coronation Street is now devoting a storyline to MND shows just how successful they have been in their endeavour.
‘We obviously need the money to find a cure and research is so important, but we also need money to support families who are going through this to ensure people can have the best life possible,’ says Kevin who has two sons, Jack and Sam, with his wife Jayne.
‘Every time I visit Rob, I get a sense of perspective and understand truly what's important. There are so many things we worry about in our lives, but when you strip it back, most of it doesn’t really matter that much. What does matter is the people we love and care about.’
During our chat, Kevin, a softly spoken man, often deflects his own feats in favour of highlighting the achievements of others.
But that is how he prefers it, and always has.
‘I get more joy and satisfaction out of watching others enjoying themselves or watching others celebrate,’ he explains.
‘If I could change anything, I would maybe have celebrated the successes more and stayed in those moments a little bit longer rather than quickly moving on to the next thing, but then the flip side of that is I probably wouldn’t be who I am,’ he muses.
‘I’m pretty comfortable in my own skin and I think quite a simple being just trying to do my best every day. I think if you go through life treating people properly and caring about others, then you can have a pretty fulfilling life.’
There has been an opportunity for some reflection in writing his memoir, The Extra Mile, which was published in May.
Given his reserved nature, it is no surprise to hear he rejected the idea of an autobiography for a long time. It was Rob who finally persuaded him.
‘I didn’t want to do a generic sports book, or shares stories from the dressing room because it is about trust and honesty there and that doesn’t end just because you finish playing, so you’ll see there aren’t any crazy rugby stories. It’s more about key moments in the journey I’ve been on, showing how important friendship is and how powerful helping others can be.’
Although Kevin is an honorary Yorkshireman, having devoted his career to Leeds Rhinos from the age of 16 (he and Rob were given the freedom of Leeds honour in a ceremony last year), he was born and raised the other side of the Pennines.
Growing up in Oldham, Greater Manchester, with parents Beryl and Ray and older siblings, Ian and Stephanie, he describes a content childhood.
His introduction to rugby was at the age of seven when he joined his big brother at the local Waterhead Rugby League Club.
Initially overwhelmed, Kevin recalls how he burst into tears, but by the end of the session was hooked and within three years had been made captain of the county team.
Even at this young age, he recalls realising that ‘helping to get the most out of those around me would also help me play better and get the most out of me. It was all connected,’ and that ‘profound realisation’ has stayed with him.
In the book’s foreword, Rob describes Kevin as the ‘ultimate captain who led from the front’. Always immaculately turned out, he also references Kevin’s ‘obsessiveness,’ an attribute that has helped to inspire people.
Indeed, Kevin strikes you as someone with laser sharp focus, whether it is in training, on the pitch or running hundreds of miles for charity.
Self-deprecatingly, he notes, ‘I can live with not winning. Sometimes people are better than you. I can live with not being quite good enough. That goes back to my childhood. I wasn’t the best at anything, but I knew I could make myself more committed than anyone else.’
And this solid commitment has stood him in good stead.
During an acclaimed career, he made over 520 appearances for Leeds Rhinos, was captain for 13 years, and also played for his country.
In 2015, he finished at Rhinos with the treble (the Challenge Cup, League Leaders’ Shield and the Super League Grand Final title) and moved to Yorkshire Carnegie before announcing his retirement in 2016.
Stepping down as a professional player and transitioning to ‘civvy life’ was challenging.
‘You miss the routine’, he says. Plus, the pitch is where he always felt most free.
‘I was very fortunate I got to finish with the treble in 2015. It was a fairy tale finish, which gave me a chance to close that chapter, but it is hard. You are 35 and out in the big wide world on your own and you’re trying to figure things out. I was determined rugby wouldn’t define the rest of my life, but understanding what gives you a sense of fulfilment is tough.’
Settled in Oldham with his family and friends, and now working as assistant coach with the England rugby union side, Kevin says these days he feels most liberated when he is doing ‘targeted running.’
‘What I mean by that is when we're running for a cause with Rob and the MND community at the heart of it. That's when I feel free again. I get fulfilment out of trying to help people, I don’t mind saying that. Some people go through their whole life and don’t understand why they are here. I know why I am here.’
The Extra Mile by Kevin Sinfield is out now
Sign up for Rob Burrows Leeds Marathon 2024: https://www.runforall.com/events/marathon/leeds-marathon
