Running With Raven

In 1975, Robert “Raven” Kraft made a New Year’s Resolution to run eight miles on Miami’s South Beach each evening. Over 125,000 miles and seven hurricanes later, he has not missed one sunset—and he has changed the lives of thousands who have run with him.
 
From all fifty states and over 85 countries, across all age groups and backgrounds, people come to run with Raven. In the process they find friendship, inspiration—and a nickname.
 
Among them is author Laura Lee “White Lightning” Huttenbach, who has logged over a thousand miles of Raven Runs. Here she explores the stories of dozens of others about why they started running with Raven—and why they keep coming back.
 
Raven is a legend of the running world, and his story is an invaluable reminder that the journey means little without the connections forged along the way.
 
“Raven left an indelible impression upon me, as he has countless others. Raven, long may you run.”
 --Dean Karnazes, New York Times bestselling author of Ultramarathon Man
 
“An inspiring tale of unbreakable discipline and one-of-a-kind endurance.”
–Gerald Posner, New York Times bestselling author of Miami Babylon
 
“Raven’s tale of perseverance, understanding, and courage will inspire anyone.”- Publishers Weekly

Laura Lee Huttenbach, a graduate of the University of Virginia, has been a serious athlete since her older brothers taught her how to slide tackle in soccer when she was four. In high school as a four-sport star, she was named Female Athlete of the Year for the state of Georgia. She moved to South Beach in 2011 after finishing her first book—The Boy is Gone, the life story of a Kenyan independence leader whom she met while backpacking in Africa. During her evening runs in Miami Beach, she met Raven and became fascinated by his story. While running with Raven, she learned Miami Beach history and met characters of the past and present who were unlike any she’d ever known. Her website is llhuttenbach.com. To find out more about the Raven Runs, visit www.ravenrun.net.