Princess Anne Rejects Running Challenge: 'I Will Stick to Horses'
Princess Anne turned down an invitation to run with Sir Kevin Sinfield with three words: "No thank you! I will stick to horses."
Her answer was instant. She was joining supporters on stage during his final endurance fundraiser for motor neurone disease charities when Sinfield asked her to join the running team, according to HELLO! Magazine. She joked she could come along on a horse instead.
The event was 7 in 7: The Grand Finale. It involved completing an ultra marathon every day for seven days. An ultra marathon is a race longer than the standard 26.2-mile marathon distance.
The running theme quickly turned attention to Kate Middleton. She is known for her love of fitness and has been a keen runner over the years. Her brother-in-law Mike Tindall once said she would make his dream rugby team because she "can run all day," describing her as an "engine."
Kate has tested that reputation in public. She competed against Prince William and Prince Harry at the Team Heads Together London Marathon Training Day at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on February 5, 2017. In 2020, she told journalist Bryony Gordon she would not run the London Marathon herself, saying "Oh no, security and all that."
What makes this stand out is the contrast in hobbies. Kate and Princess Anne both share a love for sailing, but on land their preferences diverge. Anne stayed loyal to horses. Kate keeps lacing up her trainers.
