Posted on 01/26/2019 11:53:19 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Halfway through the Tiberias Marathon in Tiberias, Israel, on January 4, Bracha Beatie Deutsch thought victory was in the bag. But then she saw another female runner, Israeli marathon record holder Elena Dolinin, far up ahead, and her heart sank.
She is a 2:35 marathoner, and I didnt think she would slow down, Deutsch told Runners World. I was disappointed, because my family was all there watching.
Cheering on the sidelines were the 29-year-olds husband and their five children. If being a mother didnt make the runner stand out from the rest of the elite field, her running attirea long-sleeved top, head scarf, and skirt that hits below the kneecertainly did. She practices ultra-orthodox Judaism, in which modest dress is required, she said.
If her running outfits turn any heads, though, she doesnt noticeshes too focused on her race to care.
Deutsch passed through the half marathon mark around 1:24, running a pace that felt fluid and easy. A few weeks prior, shed won Israels half marathon national championships in 1:19, and she knew she had more left in the tank. But it was her faith that drove her to turn up her turnover and reel in Dolinin.
I said to myself, If God is with me every step of the way, then anything is possible, she said. The race wasnt over until I crossed the finish line.
Deutsch picked up the pace, dropping the third place female and picking off men in front of her. A few miles later, someone from the crowd shouted that the leader wasnt too far ahead. . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at runnersworld.com ...
Beatie Deutsch, Beatie Deutsch, Beatie Deutsch
AMEN!
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