The Fastest Woman in Israel is an Orthodox Mother of Five

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Beatie Deutsch hits the winner's stand in the 2018 Jerusalem Marathon.

UPDATE: JANUARY 2020 – Beatie Deutsch won the 2020 Tiberias Marathon in 2:32:25, and is now ranked as the #76 female marathoner worldwide. Beatie is aiming to represent Israel in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Marathon.

UPDATE: JANUARY 2019 – Beatie Deutsch won the Tiberias Marathon, appearing on dozens of news programs, with her shining example of Torah Judaism. Beatie tells YNet News: "Our role in the world is to take the raw material God has given us and to use it to the fullest. I have a talent for running, I have always loved running, and this experience brought me closer to God, who gave me these strengths and talents."

Last month, Beatie shocked everyone by winning Israel's National Half Marathon Championship. She writes: "We are more capable than we realize and we need to keep striving for greatness for ourselves. No, we can't expect to jump from rung one on the ladder to 50 all at once, but we need to know we CAN get there, step by step, one level at a time. So don't get discouraged by the place you're at now. Trust the process, build slowly, and never stop Reaching Higher."

ORIGINAL ARTICLE – The 35,000 runners from 72 countries competing in the March 2018 Jerusalem Marathon day races were shocked to see a petite mother of 5 young children cross the finish line as the fastest Israeli woman – covering the 26-mile course in 3 hours and 9 minutes.

Even more incredible, she did it all wearing modest Orthodox attire: long sleeves, skirt, and head covering.

Beatie Deutsch, originally from Passaic, New Jersey, and now living in Jerusalem, got into competitive running a few years ago. "When my younger sister beat me in a race," she tells Aish.com, "I knew it was time to get back in shape. So I set a goal of running a marathon as the best way to push me."

Beatie ran her first marathon at Tel Aviv in 2016. "My only goal was to cross the finish line," she says. "When I registered, I estimated my finish time at 4:40." She surprised herself by completing the course in 3:27.

The next year, she again ran the Tel Aviv Marathon – this time seven months pregnant, after getting a green light from her father, an obstetrician, that the race posed no risk to mother or child. She recalls: "Other runners told me after the race that seeing a pregnant woman running gave them encouragement to push on, thinking: If she can do it, we can too!"

For Beatie, running is an important mind-body connection. "I've always felt that running is a very spiritual thing. It's my time to have a conversation with God. Some people go to the forest to speak with God. I do it while running.

"We're so busy all the time, and for me running is a way to disconnect from all the distractions and to focus inside. I can have a spiritual high from running – all the time."

How does wearing a skirt and head covering affect Beatie's ability to run competitively?

"I have skirts that are comfortable, and I'm happy that dressing modestly doesn't compromise or inhibit my ability to achieve in life," she says. "In the sports world, everyone is typically half-dressed. I think it's empowering for all women to know that you don't have to expose your body to win."

Beatie trained hard for Jerusalem 2018, running every day except Shabbat. Yet even she was surprised by the winning result.

"I trained hard, so it wasn't like I just showed up to the marathon and asked for a miracle," she says. "But I spent a lot of the race thinking of the many Psalms and prayers that acknowledge God as the source of our strength. I prayed the entire race for God to carry me to the finish line, and I felt Him guiding me every step of the way."

Beyond the personal experience, Beatie was running to raise money for Beit Daniella, a rehabilitation center for teens struggling with emotional challenges, named in memory of Beatie's cousin who recently passed away.

"Winning the race has enabled me to focus publicity on Beit Daniella, and bring some measure of comfort to the family," she says.

When she's not running, Beatie is caring for her family.

What's next for Beatie? She notes that the Jerusalem Marathon is a particularly difficult course – hilly and windy. Experts have suggested that on a flatter course, she could achieve a competitive marathon time with sights on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Does Beatie find running marathons out of character for an Orthodox mother of five?

"God gave me running talent. Our role in this world is to take the raw material He's given us and use it to the fullest. This whole experience has brought me closer to God, who gave me these strengths and talents. My motto is: Believe in the impossible, give it your all, and ask Hashem to help."

Congratulate Beatie with a donation to Beit Daniella.

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