"No sitting, no sleeping, no kidding" is a motto for the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon. Although all of these aspects should be remembered during Thon, health should not be overlooked.

Penn State's dance marathon began in 1973 with 39 couples dancing, raising a total of $2,000. This year, there are 662 dancers in the 48-hour marathon with a goal to surpass the $3 million mark raised last year.

Raising more than $14 million for children with cancer, Thon has become the largest student-run philanthropy in the world.

Michele Grimason (sophomore-nursing) found out Feb.5 that she will be dancing in Thon for her sorority, Delta Zeta. She is working hard to catch up physically and mentally with her fellow dancers.

"I am excited to dance," Grimason said.

Grimason has begun her preparation for Thon and is taking advice from friends and dancers to exercise, cut out caffeine and eat balanced meals.

Out of the three, cutting out caffeine is the most difficult for Grimason.

"I drink Diet Coke everyday," Grimason said.

Some local stores are also helping dancers prepare through promotions and professional advice.

Between 150 and 200 dancers have come to Rapid Transit Sports, 115 S. Allen St., looking for footwear for Thon. The store recommends shoes with good foot support and is offering 10 percent off of everything in the store to dancers, moralers and captains participating in Thon.

"If you don't have good shoes, standing can put stress on bones instead of muscles where you want it," said Jason Sincavage, an employee at the store.

Dancers should bring multiple pairs of shoes so the foot can get a variation of comfort. They should change the feel on the foot from softer to firmer, Sincavage said.

Grimason is not purchasing a new pair of shoes, but she is getting arch supports and having her family send her another pair of shoes.

Food and health is another aspect of Thon that dancers need to be concerned with.

Dancers should eat a variety of foods and depend on the food pyramid as a guide to good, healthy eating, said Daisy Miller, instructor for Nutrition 100 (Contemporary Nutrition Concerns).

Dancers should not skip meals and they should evenly space meals throughout the day, she said.

Dancers need to stay away from caffeine, and if they are heavily dependent on caffeine they should at least cut down the use of it during the week leading up to Thon, Miller said.

Drinking plenty of water during Thon is good for muscles and good for maintaining hydration.

"I am going to bring two dancers in my class a big salad during Thon," Miller said.

Fruit salads are good to bring to friends during Thon as well as cut vegetables with low-fat dip.

"The best things for dancers is to eat small meals when hungry," Miller said. Eating until full can make some people very tired.

Dancers should also stay away from herbs and drinks that claim to give you energy because not much is known about them, Miller said.