Running with Raven

The Amazing Story of One Man, His Passion, and the Community He Inspired

By: Laura Lee Huttenbach

Narrated by: Allyson Ryan

Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

Raven Kraft has changed the lives of thousands who have run with him - many of them hundreds of times. From all 50 states and dozens of countries, across all age groups and backgrounds, they come to run with Raven, and in the process find friendship, inspiration - and a nickname.

Among them is author Laura Lee "White Lightning" Huttenbach, who has logged over 1,000 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. Taxman, an accountant in his mid-60s, has done 1800+ runs. Dizzy, a middle school principal from Cuba, met his wife and his best friend on Raven Runs. Butcher, an ex-convict, credits Raven with saving his life.

In an uncertain world Raven shows up, no matter what. Quirky and appealing, tenacious and magnetic, Raven is a legend of the running world. As he says, "I may be the only thing that hasn't changed around here in the last 40 years." Laura Lee Huttenbach reveals how one man's daily ritual has blossomed into an uncanny gift for weaving people together - and an invaluable reminder that the journey means little without the connections forged along the way.

©2017 Laura Lee Patterson Huttenbach (P)2017 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

My favorite running book!

I kept delaying reading this book, but not regret having done so. Such a motivating story!

This book is sooooooo good!!

i learned about Raven this past summer from Darren Hardy, since then I have read the book Running with Raven both in paper form and just finished the Audible version. I have to say, hearing the voices and accents in the case helped so much. This is such a great book about a fascinating man, who can now add One more person to his list of people he has made an impact on.

Get an hour in and you’re hooked

I stopped and started this book many times. I finally got about an hour in and then powered through it in two days. Fantastic story about Raven and the people he’s ran with/inspired.

Hmmmm....

There is a good story here but I was left wanting. I think the author truly wanted to pay tribute to someone she admired in life. Instead of writing about her life and the impact The Raven had on her, it came across as notes from interviews. Their were intimate details that had the power to stir emotion but felt perfunctory.

The narrative was okay, likely impacted by the way the story was told. I wasn't fond of the voice for the main character.

Go on a journey w Raven

I wasn’t sure what to expect and so thought it a little slow at the start but really I just needed to be patient and let the story unfold. In the end I was taken on a journey w an unique individual to whom running was the essence of his life. I enjoyed it in the end and listened to it during my evening jogs. So essentially I was running w Raven.

A story of accomplishment

Raven is a man who set out to achieve success as a songwriter, but accomplished even more as a Pied Piper to a community that spans the globe, and converges on Miami's South Beach to share and evolve around him. It's a story with broad appeal -- not only for runners -- with which I could identify, as many lives don't turn out as anticipated.

Triumph over peril

Running with Raven tells an incredible story of a man who chose to straighten out his life, where when so many others in similar circumstances choose a life of emptiness. Raven has listened to this version of the book and asserts that Ms. Ryan, does his voice/and intent a lot of justice. As I've now listened to it twice, I contest it's one of the finest books on redemption I've read. Knowing that Raven is still alive and well, and is still running daily, makes this story even more powerful.

Must read for runners!!

I really enjoyed the story of Raven. My long runs didn't seem so bad after listening how this man has ran eight miles everyday for the last 43 years. He's had some good times and some really bad, but through it all kept his word on eight. Very inspiring! So much to me in fact, I gotta run with Raven soon.

A Must Listen for New and Veteran Runners

What did you love best about Running with Raven?

Inspirational story that encouraged me keep my own 3-year daily run streak going. While I haven't run the 8 yet, I feel like I was down there with Raven and his motley cast of characters. In a world of fake/bad news, this was an uplifting book.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Running with Raven?

Learning about the struggles that life threw at Raven and how this run became his way of bringing a little control to life.

What does Allyson Ryan bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Great emotion and voice work with many colorful characters.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Life to Run

Highly recommended for h.s students on life lesson

Would you listen to Running with Raven again? Why?

Having had the honor of running with raven a few months before the book coming out. Listening to the book while running allowed me to relive the inspiration of running with Raven and hearing his stories and gain a true understanding of his accomplishments. As someone that believes running is the greatest treatment for mental health and the other principles Raven lives by such as consistency, and honoring your word. I believe this book should be ready by all high school students