still seems to be enjoying herself.
(Karen Torme Olson/H-F Chronicle)
Flossmoor’s 4th annual Hidden Gem Half Marathon may be 13.1 miles long, but the race’s highest point — literally and figuratively — was at Mile Nine where Brassie and Braeburn avenues meet. This stretch includes Flossmoor’s biggest hill (on Braeburn) and a troupe of dedicated neighborhood volunteers who came together to set up a comfort station (on Brassie) for runners racing past their homes.
Just steps after runners completed navigating the hill at Mile Nine, they were greeted by neighbor-volunteers lining the route to pass out energy gel, Gatorade, cups of water, and even donuts and coffee for any pedestrians wandering about.
Besides the hydration brigade, the group included a team of medical personnel ready to tend to runners’ needs, a sound engineer who set up loudspeakers that filled the air with music because he wanted to “add a bit of sound and rhythm to the race,” Port-a Potties, a neighbor doing traffic control to keep the route safe for the runners, and some spectators who set up a tailgate in the back of their SUV and parked at a strategic spot to cheer on friends and relatives as they sped by.
Runners round the corner at the nine-mile point where Braeburn and Brassie avenues intersect. (Karen Torme Olson/H-F Chronicle)
The Braeburn-Brassie theme for this year’s half-marathon may have been “holiday,” and many front yards were decked out in Christmas, 4th of July, and other celebration-themed regalia, but the show of support at Mile Nine for the Gem and its 926 finishers was much more than a pep rally.
All along that stretch of pavement the strongest vibe was pure Flossmoor community, and it made many runners smile on their way to the finish line.
