After completing all six Abbott Marathon World Majors, endurance athlete Lanae Brody pivoted to Barry’s “Find Your Strength” 30-day challenge to sharpen speed for three spring half marathons. The program required 12 high-intensity interval training (HIIT) classes in 21 days-paired with one weekly long run-to prep for races including the Walt Disney World Princess Half and the LA Charity Half.
Barry’s signature 50-minute format splits time between treadmill sprints and heavy weightlifting. Brody stuck primarily to traditional classes, using them as speedwork. Over three weeks, she increased her sprint pace from 8.5 to 10 mph and lifted heavier-jumping from 15-pound to 25-pound dumbbells. Hill endurance also improved: she went from struggling at a 4% incline to comfortably holding 6-8% for a full minute.
The compressed timeline meant daily treadmill sessions-a departure from her road-running preference-that left her quads and knees sore. Yet the regimen paid off: post-Disney race recovery was faster than ever, even after logging 20+ miles amid 3:30 a.m. wake-ups and theme park walking.
A week later, under 90-degree heat in Los Angeles, Brody finished dry heaving-but still felt strong immediately post-race, crediting Barry’s strength component for enhanced resilience. The group energy and app-based progress tracking added motivation, with instructors offering personalized encouragement and peer pacing pushing limits.
Though race PRs were thwarted by heat and photo stops, Brody emerged physically stronger and mentally tougher-proving the challenge’s value beyond the finish line.