Lindsey Burrow to fight through pain barrier to complete inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon

Lindsey Burrow will fight through the pain barrier with a knee injury to complete the inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon this Sunday.

Lindsey previously admitted that she is entering “completely new territory” with her first ever marathon in support of her husband and the MND community. 

The event takes place on Sunday alongside the Leeds half marathon, with funds raised going towards building a special Motor Neurone Disease Centre in her husband’s name.

Former Leeds star and England international Burrow has inspired the nation since his MND diagnosis in December 2019, with more than 10,000 participants set to take on the brand new route through Leeds that starts and finishes at Headingley Stadium this weekend.

Lindsey Burrow: We’re unbelievably proud

“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,” Lindsey said. 

“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.”

Former team-mate Kevin Sinfield will also complete the marathon on Sunday alongside a handful of ex-players, including the likes of Matt Diskin, Jamie Peacock and Luke Burgess. 

Sinfield has already raised more than £8million for MND, and the 42-year-old will be pushing Burrow around Sunday’s course in a specially-adapted wheelchair. 

He said: “To raise money for the MND association and the Leeds Hospitals Charity is really important, but this is also about a celebration of friendship.

“We get the chance to do it together with 12,500 people and hopefully people will come out and see us and say hello out on the streets supporting. I think it’s a wonderful thing for Leeds.

“The Council have been fantastic, Run For All have been brilliant and I’m sure it will be an incredible day on Sunday.”

“The support has been incredible.”

Sinfield’s latest challenge, Ultra 7 in 7, saw him run seven back-to-back ultra-marathons, completing the fundraiser at the World Cup final at Old Trafford last November. 

In late 2020, Sinfield also ran seven marathons in seven days and in 2021 he completed a run of 101 miles in 24 hours.

Sinfield added: “I’ve always ran in a team with the challenges that I’ve done, this is just a bigger team this time, so the money and the awareness we can raise for a whole host of different charities will be brilliant,” Sinfield, now on the England rugby union coach staff, said.

“I’m really looking forward to it now. I can’t wait to get out there on Sunday. The support has been incredible.

“To have 12,500 people running in Rob’s name, all for different charities and causes, I think is wonderful and I know how proud Rob is of it and we’ll have a good day on Sunday.”

Great reception as Kev and Rob come out to get the #leedsmarathon underway 👏 pic.twitter.com/9CV7p50Ndg

— Leeds Rhinos (@leedsrhinos) May 14, 2023

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