Nearly 60,000 runners -- a new record -- braved unseasonably cold temperatures Sunday morning in Vancouver's annual Sun Run.

The official reading at the Vancouver International Airport put the temperature at 2 degrees Celsius, and one official told CTV News he saw ice falling off the Shangri-La hotel, which is still under construction.

"It's freezing, you've got to get moving," 27-year-old runner Juliet told CTV News. "It's a great way to get active, get healthy, and it's fun to do something together."

She was running with her 72-year-old father, Peter. "We used to live in Yellowknife, where Juliet was born. This is a hot day," Peter said.

Exactly 59,179 started the run, officials told CTV News. That puts the run as the largest timed 10-kilometre run in Canada, and the second-largest in the world, officials said.

"I never thought we would beat our record by 5,000 this year," said Jamie Pitblado, Vancouver Sun VP Promotions. "People are getting around to changing their lifestyles and living a more active life."

The run began along Georgia Street between Seymour Street and Thurlow Street, headed northwest to Stanley Park, and then turned along English Bay until the Burrard Street Bridge.

Then, the runners ran along 6th Avenue, crossed the Cambie Street Bridge, and crossed the finish line at B.C. Place.

"I heard it was going to snow today," said one man, who told CTV News he was from Melbourne, Australia. He was wearing a balaclava and was dressed for warmth. "I'm trying to cook myself like I'm under the Australian Sun."

Along the route as the weather -- and the runners -- warmed up, many runners doffed their sweaters to the side. One runner even left their shoes.

The clothes -- and the shoes -- will be donated to the Salvation Army, officials said.

Festus Langat of Kenya was the first to cross the finish line with an unofficial time of 29 minutes and 29 seconds, followed closely by fellow Kenyan Philip Koech at 29:36. The top Canadian in the run was in third place at 29:38: White Rock's Ryan Hayden.

The first woman to cross the finish line was Ethiopian Genet Gebregiorgis, at 33:36. She was followed by Lisa Harvey of Calgary with a time of 33:58. In third place was Kirsty Smith of Victoria, whose time was 34:12.

In the wheelchair division, Vancouver's Scott Patterson won with a time of 32:17, followed by Kelowna's Paul Clark at 32:35.

The Burrard Street Bridge has since been re-opened to traffic, officials said.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Dave Pinton