The Gem 2023: Flossmoor's Burns Avenue shines with 'Go, Team, Go' spirit at Hidden Gem Half Marathon

Parker Junior High School cheer team cheers on the runners as they go down Burns Avenue. (Jalyn Edwards/H-F Chronicle)

The Hidden Gem Half Marathon unfolded in Flossmoor over the weekend, showcasing a vibrant display of community support. Burns Avenue residents near Leavitt Park transformed their neighborhood with a spirited “Go, Team, Go” theme, adorning the area with various sports-themed balloons.

Onlookers donned their favorite team jerseys, amplifying encouragement with cowbells and pom-poms. Adding to the festivity, Parker Junior High School’s cheer team made a special appearance, rallying the runners as they passed.

Runners get some encouragement from the Parker Junior High School cheer team as they complete the final mile of the half marathon. (Jalyn Edwards/H-F Chronicle)

Myron Graham, decked out in his Cubs gear, spends the morning announcing over a loudspeaker, keeping up the momentum for the runners and spectators. (Jalyn Edwards/H-F Chronicle) — Runners get some encouragement from the Parker Junior High School cheer team as they complete the final mile of the half marathon. (Jalyn Edwards/H-F Chronicle)

Notably, resident Myron Graham, sporting a Cubs jersey, took to a loudspeaker on Wallace Drive, serenading runners with “Go, Cubs, Go.”

“I think that’s the fun of it all, getting to support and encourage them (the runners),” stated Graham.

At mile marker 12, H-F High School students and dedicated marathon volunteers crewed a water station, delivering spirited cheers as participants pushed through the final mile, nearly concluding their 13.1-mile journey.