Orthodox Marathon-Mom Chooses Sabbath Observance Over Olympics

“I may not make it to the Olympics [but] I will continue to proudly represent what it means to be an Orthodox Jewish woman and professional runner for Israel.”

By United with Israel Staff

Orthodox Jewish mother of five, marathon-running sensation and Olympic hopeful, Beatie Deutsch may no longer be able to compete in the 2020 Tokyo games due to a late switch of schedule that moved the women’s marathon competition from Sunday to Saturday, the Jewish sabbath day.

On finding out the news, Deutsch, who moved to Israel from New Jersey, posted on her “marathonmother” Instagram account, “I felt like I was punched in the stomach this morning…Today I found out that the Olympic marathon date has been switched to Shabbos.”

She went on to explain that she first checked the Olympic marathon date in January to ensure that there would be no conflict with her religious observance.

“It was scheduled for Sunday, August 2, and so I knew I could compete,” Deutsch wrote. “When they announced the World Championships would take place on Shabbos, I remember not even feeling disappointed because I knew I had the Olympics.”

The accomplished runner noted that her sport was “very compatible with my religious lifestyle” until now.

“Suddenly things got real very quickly,” Deutsch wrote on Instagram. “Because I’ve been pretty public about my Olympic dream…and I’ve invested a whole lot to get myself there…and what if.. what if after all that, I make it and I can’t even run?!”

On any given day, except Shabbat, Deutsch can be seen training through the streets of Jerusalem in traditional modest attire: a knee-length skirt, 3/4 sleeved shirt and hair covered with a scarf. She runs twice a day and clocks in a total of 90 miles per week.

Deutsch, a self-described “fighter,” posted that she plans to “do whatever [she] can to get the Olympic marathon date changed.”

Not one to give up, she wrote, “I will continue to train and push myself to the best of my ability to try and qualify.”

In September, Deutsch reached her personal best time in a marathon in Cape Town, coming in at 2:36:41. To qualify for the Olympics, one needs to clock in at 2:29:30. However, only about half of the female marathon runners do so. Therefore, 80 athletes who come closest to the required time will be permitted to compete.

Always one to share her positive views on life’s challenges and unexpected turns-of-events, Deutsch admitted that it was “hard to fully invest myself when I don’t even know if I’m going to be able to run. But, life isn’t always about the results. Sometimes the journey is even more important. And, I’m here for the journey.”

Admitting that her Olympic dream may no longer materialize, she ended by saying, “I may not make it the Olympics… I may not make the standard or I may not be able to run a race that is on Shabbat. But one thing I do know is that I will continue to proudly represent what it means to be an Orthodox Jewish women and professional runner for Israel.”

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