Raven
He started running with some boxers from the 5th Street Gym and slowly built up to 8 miles He made a New Years resolution to run 8 miles a day for one year starting on January 1st, 1975. He found the benefits mentally, physically and spiritually were all positive so he kept running 8 miles a day on the sands of South Beach
He has ran everyday since. (never missing a day). Over 700 runners ranging in age from 9 to 79, from over 60 different countries and 48 states have completed at least one 8 mile run with him
Everyone who completes the 8 miles gets a nickname and is added to The Raven List. This is a run, not a race although many of the Raven Runners train for races, Raven trains to come back tomorrow.
Raven has the longest known world running streak on the sand and in the same location. He has seen every sunset, never been caught in rush hour traffic and turned what was a negative into a positive becoming an inspiration to others.
Allow me to introduce you to Raven.
by Miracle
A most remarkable human being. It is not every day you encounter
someone who has surely found their mission in life...who has a strength
of committment bordering on the obsessive, yet is also balanced by an
unswerving loyalty and generosity. Let me be a bit more specific. The
Raven runs. every day. I mean every day. This is a man who has seen
every sunset for the past twenty nine years from a strip of sand now
called South Beach. I knew Raven very well, or at least I thought I did,
before I understood what EVERY day really meant. I'm not sure
understand it yet.
Let
me try to explain. He runs eight miles on the beach in soft sand each
afternoon. Beginning and ending at the same place...the sixth street
lifeguard stand. What is so special about that? (You may ask) Perhaps
more than the sheer doggedness of never failing to appear, of always
finishing, is the manner in which this gentle man conducts himself. You
see, this run takes place under the most beautiful skies....alongside
the Atlantic Ocean...each day is a celebration of all time, of all days,
each one special in itself, individual. ...forgive me, I am sometimes
overwhelmed by poetry...It is as if by the act of running, Raven is
drawing a portrait of each day, dignifying its grace, beauty,
temporality, its thereness. Well, I guess you gotta be there. The thing
is, it is not a race...this is a way of being, THERE.
This is something that Raven shares with anyone who cares to slow down
long enough to run with him. Even people who don't do the run, can hang
with the group and experience the connection, the hope the
encouragement. Don't we all need a bit of encouragement? Raven's
running, his life, shows us that there just might be another way to
live. Happily. Peacefuly. Not driven by TV news, money markets, traffic
jams, and all of the other races we so habitually engage ourselves in.
When was the last time you saw a news report about...another beautiful
sunset?
Raven ran alone the first eight years. A young man does what he must.
Then, as he opened to possibilities, he began to find people who wanted
to run with him, or, maybe they found HIM. Either way, today, over 560
people have completed the "Raven Run". RAVEN has kept a list of all the
runners who have made the eight mile run. -
