More than 5500 runners, joggers and walkers joined Run Ballarat on Sunday.
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Organisers claimed another record for the three year old event, with registrations ticking beyond the 5000 mark by 10am.
Between them they had raised more than $232,000 for the children's ward of the Ballarat Base Hospital, with late registrations still to be counted.
Run Ballarat ambassador Steve Moneghetti said the numbers had well exceeded his own expectations when the event was first run in 2012.
"I'm obviously delighted," Mr Moneghetti said.
"There are about 100,000 people who live in Ballarat so to have 5500 here means one in twenty people in Ballarat have been involved, and that's fantastic. It is a watershed year for the event.
"To have the opportunity to run down Sturt Street with no traffic. I feel so lucky."
Ballarat Health Services board of management chairman Andrew Faull was one of the thousands who completed the 12km run.
Mr Faull said it was not easy but well worth the effort.
"It is my third and I had a great day'" he said.
"It's never easy but the thought of helping the kids gets you through it.
"The event gets bigger each year which is pleasing from the hospital's point of view.
"I ran the first two with my daughter but she took off on me this year. So that allowed me to enjoy it more, enjoy the scenery and admire Ballarat's great buildings."