SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
A street in Miami's South Beach will now be called Robert "Raven" Kraft Way after a local runner will be reaching quite a milestone on New Year's Eve. The 74-year-old athlete has been running on the beach every day for 50 years. Jimena Romero, of member station WLRN, has the story.
JIMENA ROMERO, BYLINE: Every afternoon, around 5 o'clock, you can catch Robert "Raven" Kraft at the same lifeguard station getting ready to start his daily run. He's shirtless, with all-black running shorts, sneakers and a headband, keeping his long hair out of his face.
ROBERT RAVEN KRAFT: In the beginning, I did this for myself, 'cause it made me feel better mentally and physically. And after a while, everybody started coming out. So now, unselfishly, I come out for them. If somebody showed up and I wasn't there, I'd feel bad. Even on rainy, stormy days, I'm here.
ROMERO: It started as a New Year's resolution in 1974. Now he never leaves Miami-Dade County because of his commitment to the Raven Run. People travel from all around the world just to get to run with him. And after completing the first 8-mile run, the new recruits earn a nickname.
(SOUNDBITE OF OCEAN WAVES)
WILLIAM TROY DONAHOO: I go by the "Raven" nickname, Diabetes Doctor.
ROMERO: And he is one. William Troy Donahoo is one of a handful of people running with "Raven" Kraft today. He's also a regular runner, but he lives six hours away in Gainesville, Florida. When he's in Miami, he joins Raven.
DONAHOO: It's just a one-of-a-kind person and experience. I sometimes have enough trouble getting in a mile or two every day, no matter where I am at. And for him, the consistency is just amazing.
ROMERO: When he's not running, Robert "Raven" Kraft is a songwriter. He sung me one of his tunes as we ran on the sand.
KRAFT: (Singing) Tempers are flying. The eggs are frying. The baby's crying. The other - hear you complaining.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DRACULA")
RAVEN AND THE DARK SHADOWS: (Singing) Outside it's raining, and I'm howling at the moon.
ROMERO: He records with his band, Raven and the Dark Shadows.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DRACULA")
RAVEN AND THE DARK SHADOWS: (Singing) A hard act to follow, as you leave me wallow in the dust.
ROMERO: As a runner, he has logged more than 145,000 miles over 18,000 days, according to the United States Running Streak Association. His pace is not the same as it was when he started at the age of 24. And last year, he had to reduce his 8-mile run to 5 miles due to chronic back pain. But he has no plans of stopping.
KRAFT: Any kind of back problems you could have, I got them. So it ain't easy, but I ain't quitting. I'm still going.
ROMERO: Raven has gathered all kinds of stories over the years. He has run through hurricanes, married a couple during the run, seen turtles hatching, and even saved a few lives of swimmers that were drowning. Besides getting a street name in his honor, the city of Miami Beach will also put up a commemorative plaque where Robert "Raven" Kraft Way intersects with Ocean Drive.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "EIGHT MILES GONE")
RAVEN AND THE DARK SHADOWS: (Singing) They said run, Raven, run.
ROMERO: For NPR News, I'm Jimena Romero, on Miami Beach.
RAVEN AND THE DARK SHADOWS: (Singing) You've been runnin' so long, and you're only... Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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