The RUNNING Wife

"Remember God created everyone with the willpower to accomplish goals way beyond their wildest dreams. So, it is not whether you can complete any race you choose, but rather whether you are ready to persevere through the challenges of consistent training, just like every other purpose in life, for the joy of crossing that finishing line, which surpasses the challenges".

Stephanie Adesuwa Ihama (The Running Wife)

"No honey, I don't think you have gained that much weight", I said, knowing fully well that this is one of those questions that husbands better respond to very tactfully. "But if you insist on joining the gym, rest assured that you have all my support", I added.

After completing nine races by October 2005, Stephanie Ihama, the Swiss-born Mississauga mother of four children had not only lost over 41 pounds because of her newly found passion for running that she picked up in April 2004, but completed her tenth race by participating in one of the most popular professional marathon races in the world, the New York City Marathon held on Sunday, November 6th, 2005.

Produced by the New York Road Runners, and has been organized every year since 1970, the New York City Marathon is an annual foot-race that starts on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and runs through the five boroughs of New York City; Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan. Due to the large number of interested participants in this pre-eminent long-distance annual running event in the United States, participation is restricted by a lottery system, with preference given to previous participants. According to the organizers, "It draws more than 85,000 applicants, attracts many world-class professional athletes, not only for the more than $500,000 in prize money, but also for the chance to excel in the media capital of the world before two million cheering spectators and 260 million worldwide television viewers".

To enable citizens from all countries participate in this race, New York Road Runners predetermines the number of interested participants to accept from each country. In 2005, only 782 runners participated from Canada, including my Running Wife, Stephanie Ihama, who was luckily accepted on her first lottery trial!

Stephanie joined the Regency Fitness Centre back in February 2004 for the purpose of losing some body weight, and two months later decided to complete the 10-kilometre race in the first Mississauga Marathon on May 16th, 2004. She then joined a team of men and women who were regularly training at local Running Club and together with them proceeded to complete her first half marathon (21.1 kilometres) in the Scotia Bank Waterfront Race held on September 26, 2004, securing the 341st position out of the 2,118 women who participated in the half marathon. Twenty-one days later, on October 17th, she was running her second half marathon in the nation's most popular race, the Toronto Marathon.

On March 12th, 2005, she went on to complete the 30-kilometre race in the 112th anniversary of the Hamilton's Around the Bay Road Race. This is the oldest on the North American continent as it was first run in 1894, three years before the Boston Marathon that is considered the most prestigious marathon in the world

On May 15th, 2005, she once again completed the 10-kilometre race in the Mississauga Marathon with our ten-year old son, and went off to Alaska almost immediately to complete her first full marathon (42.2 kilometres) in the Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon on June 18th, 2005. This is after training with "Team in Training", and raising over $6,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada; a goal she met by organizing a garage sale, selling hot dogs after Sunday services at our church, the Toronto Church of Christ, and by canvassing others. According to her, the Alaskan experience is one of the most historic events in her life because it accomplished two of her top dreams - complete a full marathon, and visit Alaska. Her efforts and determination secured her the 23rd position out of the 166 women in her age category.

On July 3rd, 2005, fifteen days after the Alaskan experience, she was in London, England and completed the British 10-kilometre Race. On September 10th, 2005, Stephanie completed her first triathlon organized by Multi-Sport Canada in Wasaga Beach, Canada, thus taking her zeal for sports to another level. While working out at the Regency Fitness Centre twice a week and often training with other runners at the Brampton Running Room, Stephanie ran an average of 40 kilometres every week, increasing that tremendously as races drew nigh.

When asked to offer some advice to those struggling with the decision of becoming a runner, she had this to say:

"Just remember God created everyone with the willpower to accomplish goals way beyond their wildest dreams. So, it is not whether you can complete any race you choose, but rather whether you are ready to persevere through the challenges of consistent training, just like every other purpose in life, for the joy of crossing that finishing line, which surpasses the challenges".

"I use this opportunity to thank God for my life. I thank my husband, Alex, and children, Brandie, Travis, Naomi and Luc for always understanding and supporting me while I am out there training. I also thank ALL my friends who continue to support me as well for their belief in me. I thank my well wishers for their prayers and support, especially those who donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada so I may be able to participate in my first marathon in Alaska. Finally, I thank the Running Room in Brampton for providing a training environment that is filled with so much support and motivation".

In retrospect, since she started running in 2004, My Running Wife was well approaching her 3,000th kilometre, 2 years later. And now certified by the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA), and the level II of the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) in Canada, she currently trains and motivates a combined total of over 60 marathoners and long distance runners! According to one of then who completed the Toronto Marathon in 2006, "Because of your program, Stephanie, I was able to lose a significant amount of weight (from 206 lbs to 170 lbs); get back to almost the running pace I was at when I last trained 5 years ago; and qualify for the Boston Marathon". Another one said, "I could not do it without you, Stephanie, thank you".

My Running Wife possess the ability to work with different types of personalities, develop custom-made training programs, and provide the training, motivation and support required to meet you different running objectives. She is enthusiastic, organized, hardworking, dependable, fluent in both French and English languages, speak some Spanish, and obviously passionate about running. Go! Stephanie, Go!!

Together with her writing and speaking husband, Alex, they both serve at The Exhortation World Outreach. For more information, or to work with Stephanie in preparing a customized running schedule to suite your capability, send an email to CoachStephanie@TheExhortation.com.