Yesterday, Beatie Deutsch, a 30-year-old New Jersey native and ultra-Orthodox Jewish mother of five from Jerusalem, won the Miami half-marathon women’s division in 1:16:49 - wearing a skirt, headscarf and long sleeves.
While Deutsch was athletic as a youngster, she didn't keep it up. Four years ago, when she lost family races on a beach, she decided to get into shape. Only four months later she finished sixth in the 2016 Tel Aviv Marathon.
Deutsch has inspired other Orthodox Jews to run, and there were 600 Orthodox Jews in the Miami race, most of whom were running to raise money for charities. Deutsch herself was running to raise money for Beit Daniella, a charity for children with mental illness.
Because of the high religious Jewish participation, this is the first year the Miami Marathon offered kosher-certified meals for athletes at the finish line.
Deutsch first made headlines as a runner when she completed the 2017 Tel Aviv Marathon while seven months pregnant.
Last night she wrote on her Facebook page:
All day long I've been trying to find the time to post about my race today..
but I needed the perfect pictures and the perfect words before I could post.
Until suddenly I realized I didn't.
Because even though I'd love to share some professional quality pictures (which will come), if you've been following me long enough you know I'm not about perfection. And even if I don't have time to share a masterfully written caption, I can't go to sleep without expressing my gratitude. Hodu L'Hashem KiTov [Thanks to God for He is good] - I came in first place at the half marathon in Miami today in 1:16:49.She wanted to represent Israel at the Olympics in Tokyo and was disappointed when they scheduled the marathon for a Saturday. She's hoping they reschedule it again so she can participate.
.
Thank you Hashem for giving me the opportunity to stand on the podium today at the @themiamimarathon and proudly represent Israel and the Jewish people.
Deutsch is truly remarkable, and her story strikes a chord - when I tweeted about her victory last night it was retweeted and liked hundreds of times by those touched by her life.
(h/t Irene)