Rob Burrow marathon draws thousands

The Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon is a road race, but that barely covers what it has become in Leeds. It’s now part memorial, part mass fundraiser, and part civic event that pulls huge crowds onto the streets. On Sunday, May 10, the 2026 edition turned that mix up another notch. Thousands ran, the city showed up again, and organizers said the weekend sold more than 15,000 entries across its events. ### Why was this one such a big deal? Because the race is no longer just a marathon with a famous name on it. It was created in honor of Rob Burrow, the former Leeds Rhinos star who became a national figure during his public fight with motor neurone disease and died in 2024. The event has quickly become one of the biggest charity-driven running weekends in the region. (runforall.com) ### What actually happened on Sunday? The full marathon started at 9:00 a.m. from AMT Headingley Stadium, with the half marathon following at 10:00 a.m. Both races finished back inside the stadium, after runners went through Leeds neighborhoods and surrounding countryside with spectators lining long stretches of the route. The marathon remained the centerpiece, with thousands in “Run For Rob” shirts and personalized bibs. (yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk) ### What was new this year? The big addition was the first dedicated MND Wave. That was the emotional center of the day — a start group built around people connected to the motor neurone disease community. Run For All said eight people living with MND took part across the marathon, half marathon, and relay in wheelchairs with support teams, and called it the most they had ever had at any mass-participation event. (runforall.com) ### Who won the race? George Ravenhall won the men’s marathon in 2:26:31, ahead of Tom Charles in 2:27:09 and Daniel Grant in 2:31:55. Melisah Gibson won the women’s race in 2:45:51, with Charlotte Knowles second in 2:51:46 and Anna Firth third in 2:56:52. The half marathon winners were William Tighe in 1:07:30 and Jemima Elgood in 1:13:22. (runforall.com) ### Was this mainly about competition or charity? Basically both — but charity is the thing that gives the day its weight. Yorkshire Evening Post said more than 13,000 people took part in the marathon and half marathon, and that the event has raised more than £14 million for charities since it launched in 2023. A lot of runners were there in memory of family members or to raise money for MND research and local causes. (runforall.com) ### Who showed up from Burrow’s circle? That matters because the race still feels personal, not corporate. Kevin Sinfield and Jamie Jones-Buchanan were there again, along with Lindsey Burrow. Sinfield also joined the day’s runners, which keeps the event tied directly to the friendship and campaigning that made Burrow’s illness such a public cause in the first place. (yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk) ### Why does Leeds keep turning out for it? Because this race has become a way for the city to do something visible with grief and admiration. The route is tough — including the Otley Chevin climb — but the draw is bigger than the course. People come to run hard, remember Burrow, and raise money in a setting that feels communal rather than ceremonial. (runforall.com) ### Bottom line What happened in Leeds on May 10 was bigger than another Sunday marathon. The race is now a durable part of the city’s calendar — a sporting event, a fundraiser, and a living tribute that keeps growing each year. (runforall.com)