16,000 early morning warriors to tackle City-Bay on chilly 11 degree morning

From first-timers running for sick kids to four generations of the same family, these are just some of the 16,000 road warriors set to hit Adelaide’s streets tomorrow.

Michael 63, Joe, 60, Andrew, 66, David, 90, and Ellie Saies, 18. Picture: Morgan Sette

After months of training, more than 16,000 City-Bay warriors – the most diverse group in the event’s 49-year history – have hit the road for the 2023 fun run.

Runners can expect crisp early-morning temperatures to rise from 11C to about 25C by noon, heading to a sunny top of 28C in the afternoon.

Live stream: Watch every finisher cross the line in annual City-Bay Fun Run

Daniel Chaffey Hartwig, Chair of City-Bay, said he is thrilled with the number of participants this year with at least 2000 more than last year.

This year’s fun run, the second post-Covid event, has raised almost $300,000.

“From a post Covid perspective this year’s event and the public’s response to it is a real return to form which is particularly encouraging as we look towards next year’s historic 50th running of City-Bay,” he said.

Mr Hartwig said this year was also special for families with grandparents given the option to bring their grandchildren along for “to encourage the next generation”.

“We are also filming along the route to capture footage for a film/documentary to commemorate the historic 50th City-Bay in 2024 and to build excitement in the lead up to next year’s event,” he said.

Race committee executive officer Rod Williams said this year’s runners, joggers and walkers stood out for the variety of “diverse backgrounds and different age groups”.

“In particular, we’re seeing more people who are disabled and more people participating in wheelchairs,” Mr Williams said.

“We’ve seen quite a few older runners, including about half a dozen who actually ran in the first event in 1973.”

Mr Williams said entry numbers were up on 2022 and more than $270,000 had been raised for charity.

“Next year’s our 50th event, so we’re very, very pleased about the range of people who are participating.”

Edward Cheesman, pictured with physiotherapist Adam Lidiard, is running in the City-Bay for the first time to raise money for Make-A-Wish Australia. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Great granddad and City-Bay legend, David Saies, will take on his 31st event with “four generations” of the Saies family joining him on the big day for the first time this year.

The 90-year-old from Myrtle Bank will run the 12km with his children Jo Saies, 60, and Andrew Saies, 66, as well as four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Mr Saies said it “meant the world” to have his family there with him on the day and he couldn’t be more grateful.

“I just love to get out there and run and want to keep going until I can’t,” he said.

Fellow entrant Edward Cheesman, who lives with quadriplegic choreoathetoid cerebral palsy, said he spent the past three years training with his allied health team so he could run the race for the first time and raise money for his favourite charity.

Mr Cheesman’s childhood dream to attend the Superbowl and an NBA game was made a reality by Make-A-Wish Australia when he was 15.

Thirteen years later, he wants to return the favour by raising funds so other children with illnesses can live out their own dreams with the foundation.

The once-in-a-lifetime trip was “fun, incredible and crazy” he said, which is what inspired him to fundraise.

His dad, Kevin Cheesman, 60, said the idea to do the City-Bay “came up as a challenge” before the Covid pandemic.

“Ed didn’t hesitate, his first choice was Make-A-Wish so that he can help them help another kid like him to live out their dream,” he said.

“Ed’s been training so hard he’s gotten blisters, it’s taken such a long journey to get here and we’re so proud.”