Jamal Soufane: From Moroccan Might to Brazilian Running Passion
Jamal Soufane, the "most Brazilian Moroccan," shares his journey from childhood in Morocco to his passion for marathons in Brazil.
In a candid conversation with Fabio Bessa and Thiago Calamura, Jamal Soufane details his life story, from his humble origins in rural Morocco to becoming one of Brazil's most admired amateur marathon runners. He shares how running transformed him and the challenge of the World Marathon Majors.
In the vibrant atmosphere of NB 42K in Porto Alegre, hosts Fabio Bessa and Thiago Calamura welcomed a captivating figure for a special episode of the Stemma Podcast: Jamal Soufane. Affectionately known as the “most Brazilian Moroccan,” Jamal brought his contagious energy and a life story intertwining destiny, effort, and, of course, a lot of running to the conversation.
With the World Cup underway at the time of recording and the Moroccan national team in the spotlight, Jamal didn't hide his pride in his roots, explaining that the success in football reflects a growth in mindset across all sectors in Morocco and Africa. Despite strong support for his homeland, he expressed a sense of belonging to Brazil, where he built his life, family, and had his daughters. His divided loyalties during a Brazil vs. Morocco friendly, which ended in a draw, was the "perfect result" for him.
From Morocco to Brazil: An Unexpected Destiny
The question Jamal hears most often – "How did you end up in Brazil?" – is the starting point of his incredible journey. In 2013, while managing a cultural education project in Morocco, the Tolerance School, he met a Brazilian woman. She invited him to give a lecture on Moroccan culture in Latin America at the Federal University of Ceará (UFC) in Fortaleza. For him, it was an opportunity to enhance his resume and broaden his horizons, as few Moroccans, especially intellectuals, visited Latin America.
The trip turned into a profound "culture shock." Accustomed to an intellectual and arduous life in rural Morocco, where he grew up without access to many amenities, Iracema Beach and Fortaleza's vibrant lifestyle captivated him. "I looked at that scene there, and I said, 'Wow, man, I want to live here. I'm not leaving,'" he recalls. After a month immersed in Ceará's culture, he returned to Morocco, but Brazil was constantly on his mind. The 2014 World Cup, with images of Fortaleza broadcast worldwide, only reinforced his desire to move.
Personal Transformation in Fortaleza
Determined to start anew, Jamal sold his share in the school and, despite bureaucratic difficulties, secured a scholarship at UFC. The change of country brought a radical transformation to his life. From a young man focused on studies and work, he plunged headfirst into the Brazilian lifestyle. "My life was 100% intellectual, academic. I arrived in Brazil, studied from Monday to Thursday. Thursday evening already had the first happy hour, starting at 4 PM and ending at 2 AM," he recounts.
Within two years, Jamal gained weight, reaching 100 kg (approximately 220 lbs). He found himself losing focus on his studies, reading, and projects, and noticed a change in his temperament, becoming less patient. Several attempts to leave Brazil were thwarted by fate, until in 2019, on his 29th birthday, a friend and English student, nutritionist Danilo Coimbra, intervened. Danilo warned him about the direction his life was taking and offered help.
Back to the Track: From Crashing in Curitiba to Sub-3
When asked about his favorite sport, Jamal recalled his childhood passion for cross-country running, where he was quite talented. With Danilo's help, he began a gradual change: focusing on homemade food, eliminating processed foods, reducing sugar, and restricting alcohol consumption to Saturdays. This light approach, without major restrictions, was crucial for his initial success.
Without guidance, he ran as he pleased, mixing distances and intensities, until one day, after a "suicidal" attempt at a 21 km long run that left him completely exhausted and chafed, he realized the need for professional coaching. He found Stark coaching on Fortaleza's Beira Mar. His initial performance surprised his coach, who noticed his fast pace even with a heavier body. Inspired by the dream of becoming a diplomat and traveling the world, Jamal discovered the World Marathon Majors, and the idea of running them all reignited his old desire.
His first marathon was in Curitiba. Without proper preparation and underestimating the importance of hydration and strategy, he suffered intensely, almost failing to finish. "It was hellish. I lost a position [in the amateur category]. I was suffering," he recalls. He completed the race in 3:01:40, vowing never to run another marathon. However, the result was celebrated in Fortaleza, which motivated him to try again. Shortly after, in a marathon in Morocco, better prepared and having learned his lesson, he achieved his first sub-3, with 2:53. It was then that the marathon became a passion. An injury after his first 2:30 marathon in Barcelona led him to deepen his studies on endurance, seeking to run more and better, but with less wear and tear.
Moroccan Running Tradition and the Moroni Challenge
Jamal highlights Morocco's strong running tradition, often overshadowed by the attention given to Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes. According to him, there are many high-level marathon runners in his home country, but they choose to compete in races where they have a chance at the podium, such as in Asia, rather than facing the major World Marathon Majors without a prospect of victory. This competitive outlook shaped his own spirit.
The friendly rivalry with Moroni, another well-known athlete in the running community, started unexpectedly at the Rio Marathon. Moroni, aiming to be the amateur champion in his city, convinced Jamal to run at a pace that wasn't his own, using a "fartlek within the race" strategy. "He started doing 3:13 and 3:13. Then I thought, 'Man, this is tough.' He said, 'No, I'll go back.' Then he'd go back to 3:25, then out of nowhere he'd hit 3:11 in the middle," Jamal describes, who "fell for it" and suffered from km 20 onwards. Despite the initial "mischief," their friendship solidified. The challenge extended to the World Marathon Majors, like New York and Tokyo, where, even with setbacks, they mutually supported each other. Jamal values the partnership, even with Moroni's competitiveness, whom he describes as "very strong" and "resilient," a source of learning and inspiration.
Training Philosophy: Balance and Adaptation
For Jamal, training is "very individual." In Fortaleza, where temperatures are high, he needs to wake up at 3 or 4 AM to train below 28 degrees Celsius (around 82 Fahrenheit). He emphasizes that "there is no high-performance marathon without a certain volume," but highlights the importance of balancing volume, intensity, sleep, and nutrition. In Fortaleza, it's unfeasible to replicate intense training with multiple daily sessions due to recovery difficulties. He attributes his personal best (PB) in Tokyo to training without interval sprints or VO2 max work, focusing on threshold and long-run blocks, always considering the performance difference between Fortaleza's heat and the milder race temperatures.
A Decisive Moment: A Second Chance in Childhood
When asked about a Zone 2 moment – an instant when everything seemed to go wrong, but unexpected energy saved him – Jamal shared a poignant story. Coming from a humble and illiterate family in rural Morocco, he was the only one of his siblings to have the chance to study in the city. However, in ninth grade, he failed. His father's rule was clear: if he failed, he would have to return to the mountains and work on the plantation, as there would be no way to afford another year. It was an art teacher, who believed in his potential, who traveled to his family's home in the countryside and spent three days convincing his father to give him another chance.
This opportunity was a turning point. "I did everything not to fail again," he reveals. Jamal went from a failed student to one of the best in school, excelling nationally in some subjects. This episode left a deep mark on him, reminding him of the power of a second chance and the importance of persistence.
Support and Partnerships
Stemma Sports and its guests are supported by major brands. Kingston offers storage solutions, with a 10% discount using coupon STEMMA10 on the Terabyte Shop website. For supplementation, Z2 Performance offers products like the neutral gel Load Up, the liquid carb Power Powder, and the post-workout Recovery Mix, with a 10% discount using coupon STEMMAZ2. Ticket Sports is the partner for event registrations, and the Radar Stemma program will be live at the TC Summit on September 2nd in São Paulo. Additionally, visual protection is guaranteed by Oakley, which offers ideal models for athletes, protecting against sun rays and preventing problems like early cataracts.
Final Thoughts
Jamal Soufane invited everyone to follow his adventures on social media, at @jamalsoufani on Instagram and his YouTube channel. The conversation with Fabio Bessa and Thiago Calamura was an inspiring testament to how sport, combined with resilience and destiny, can transform lives and build bridges between cultures.
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