Talking training with Mohammed A.Faris
Episode 02 | The ONE14 Podcast with Special Guest Mohammed A. Faris
In this episode, we talk to Mohammed A. Faris, founder of the Productive Muslim Company and author of the new book The Barakah Effect.
We talk about Training, overcoming resistance, war with the shaytan and other subjects.
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In This Episode, You'll Learn:
The 3-Run-a-Week Training Plan: The exact framework to achieve a sub-2-hour half-marathon without running every day, focusing on quality over quantity.
The Three Types of Runs: How to structure your week with specific interval, tempo, and Zone II long runs to build both speed and endurance.
The "Garbage Mile" Mistake: Why most runners plateau by training in the comfortable middle zone instead of running either slow enough or fast enough.
The "Spiritual Setup": How creating a physical and spiritual ritual—like making wudu, facing the Qiblah, or even just making Moroccan tea—can prepare you to overcome the mental resistance to difficult tasks like writing or memorizing.
How to Build Discipline: Practical advice on reframing "I don't have time" as "it's not a priority," and the mindset needed to show up even when every fiber of your being tells you not to.
The Fastest Way to Get Faster: Why running with people who are better than you is the single quickest way to turbo-boost your improvement and break bad habits.
About the episode
Mohammed Faris is no stranger to endurance, having completed a 100-mile cycling ride. But running is a different beast, and a painful 20K has left him searching for a better way forward. Ahmed challenges him with an aggressive goal: run a sub-2-hour half-marathon and memorize Surah Al-Kahf for the ONE14 event in just seven weeks.
Ahmed details a highly efficient three-run-a-week training plan, breaking down the science behind interval, tempo, and Zone II runs. This practical advice becomes a springboard for a much deeper conversation.
Why is it easy to be disciplined with fitness but incredibly difficult to sit down and memorize the Quran? Faris shares the intense spiritual and mental "war" he fought to write his book, revealing the powerful rituals and reliance on Allah that got him through the days he wanted to quit. The discussion is an honest and vulnerable look at the universal struggle against our own resistance and the practical tactics we can use to win.
