Marathon runner inspired by Rob Burrow MND fight

A runner is gearing up for a 24-hour ultramarathon, inspired by rugby stars Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield, as well as a friend who has motor neurone disease (MND).

Rugby league legend and MND campaigner Rob Burrow died last year from the degenerative condition.

His Leeds Rhinos teammate Kevin Sinfield went on to complete seven ultramarathons in seven days - the 7 in 7 in 7 challenge - in his memory last year.

Shrewsbury runner Graham Berry said his friend Nick Deane was diagnosed with the condition 18 months ago, meaning the MND Association had become "a cause that's really close to my heart".

Mr Berry, originally from Wigan, grew up watching and playing rugby league.

He said he started raising funds for MND after Burrow's 2019 diagnosis.

"I turned my running focus and my fundraising attention to the MND Association because the rugby league community pulled together to start raising funds for obviously what we saw as a very good cause - a very needy cause," he said.

Last year, he was invited to join Sinfield on day one of his seven-marathon challenge and ran with him at Ellesmere Port.

"It was amazing," he said. "As well as Rob being the motivation for what I do, and what a lot of MND runners and fundraisers do, Kevin Sinfield is an inspiration.

"He motivates us as well. We see what he does and he makes you want to put on your running shoes and get out there."

Mr Berry said he tried to complete a marathon and an ultramarathon every year for the charity, along with other races.

He has run the Leeds Rob Burrow Marathon for the past two years, since it began in 2023.

"I've done a few rather lengthy ones," he added. "2024 was 12 hours running round Wigan Warriors stadium - the Brick Community Stadium - where I was joined by some great friends and supporters and I ran 109 laps, almost 70km around the stadium in 12 hours."

He said he ran a "more scenic" route in 2023 from Wigan Warriors' stadium over the Leeds Liverpool canal to Headingley Stadium in Leeds, Burrow's and Sinfield's home ground.

This year, his 24-hour run is planned for September on matchday, when Wigan play Leeds.

He said: "If we get the planning right, we should be finishing just before kick-off."

This year, Mr Berry is aiming to raise £20,000 for the cause. He is already up to £18,500.

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