Leeds Rhinos legend Rob Burrow’s charming response to a marathon being named after him

This morning the Rob Burrow marathon was announced for 2023.

Taking place on Sunday 14th May, the new event has been inspired by Kevin Sinfield OBE’s running challenges for friend and team mate Rob, and will be staged in partnership with Leeds City Council.

This brand new marathon will honour Leeds Rhinos legend Rob Burrow MBE and help raise vital funds for The Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Centre Appeal, as well as the MND Association. The route will start and end at Headingley Stadium and 7,777 entries will be available, in honour of Rob’s shirt number at Leeds Rhinos.

Burrow was diagnosed was MND in December 2019. Since then, he and his former teammates, including Sinfield, have done plenty to raise awareness of the disease and raise money to help fund research into the condition which hasn’t yet got a cure.

The two-time Harry Sunderland Award winner received his MBE last week and the news of the Rob Burrow marathon this morning will have adorned a lovely week for the Leeds legend.

He has now taken to Twitter to respond to the news in the most charming and endearing way you could imagine.

He said: “I am so proud to have a marathon named after me. Everything about the amazing city of Leeds is class. I’m going to have to take part in my electric wheelchair. I will start now and get fit! This is for all charities in particular the MND community.”

I am so proud to have a marathon named after me. Everything about the amazing city of Leeds is class. I'm going to have to take part in my electric wheelchair. I will start now and get fit! This is for all charities in particular the MND community!

— Rob Burrow CBE (@Rob7Burrow) April 11, 2022