Robert Raven Kraft | 50 Year Running Streak | Raven Run-Miami Beach

50 years of running, almost 15 years as a top model in my book 🏃🏻🖤 Happy Anniversary @robertravenkraftravenrun

Raven Run | Gringo

The Raven Run lost one of its most beloved runners last week. Tom “Gringo,” a Hall of Fame Runner with over 1,600 Raven Runs and 654 swims, died on March 2. His final run with Raven was last year, at 83 years old, which earned Gringo the Event of the Year for being the oldest runner ever to complete the run. This was at least his third time earning an Event of the Year—once for running during Hurricane Irene and another time for running while in the middle of chemotherapy. Gringo had a way of sensing someone’s best quality and bringing it out. After five minutes of conversation with anyone, I think he could’ve given the eulogy at her funeral. I’ve probably run about 50 times with Gringo and will cherish the miles we put in together. I’m grateful for the stories he told, many of which live on in the hearts and minds of other runners, and in the pages of Running with Raven. Two weeks ago, when Yellow Rose and Raven went to visit Gringo, Raven asked him how he was doing. Gringo replied, “I’m dancing as long as the music lasts.”

Written by Laura Lee Patterson Huttenbach “White Lightning”

Photograph by Mary Beth Koeth “Yellow Rose”

Pictured “Gringo” for the Raven Run Swimsuit Calendar in 2013

Robert Raven Kraft

On January 1, 1975, when Raven was 24 years old, he made a New Year’s Resolution to run eight miles every day. Next week, he hits 136,000 streak miles. 🏃🏻‍♂️💨

NYC

As I was snapping photos of the New York City streetscape, this old Italian man ran out of this old Italian restaurant. “You both need to be IN the picture,” he said. “I will take it for you.” I gave him the camera. He looked through the viewfinder. “If you two were the bookends,” he said. “I would very much like to be the book.” The sounds of this city make me smile.