Dancers are preparing mentally and physically -- to spend 48 hours on their feet during this weekend's Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon.

"It's going to come down to being a battle of will," said Dan Thompson (junior-English), who is dancing in Thon.

Aside from using willpower to last 48 hours on their feet, Penn State experts said dancers such as Thompson also need to keep their bodies healthy.

Kristine Clark, coordinator of sports nutrition programs, said there are a few things dancers should do in preparation for the event.

She said dancers should eat carbohydrates and proteins to keep alert and in good health.

"Carbohydrates are the nutrient that muscle cells use most efficiently for exercise," she said.

Clark said keeping hydrated is critical and participants should eat small meals continuously.

"To keep their energy levels up, they need to be drinking and eating lots of foods," she said.

Clark also stressed the importance of eating protein. Protein stimulates neuroepinepherin, a brain chemical that is a neurotransmitter, she said. "We call protein-rich foods alertness foods," she said.

Dave Jones, Penn State emergency medical services manager, said he would like to see everyone involved in the best possible physical condition.

"Every year it gets a little better," Jones said.

He said the dancers prepare better for Thon each year, resulting in fewer medical problems.

EMS will be on hand to help during the entire marathon, in addition to athletic trainers who handle cramping, muscle problems and other injuries, Jones said.

EMS also handles all medications and pills that are distributed to dancers, Jones said. One year, many participants took over-the-counter herbal supplements and caffeine pills, which caused nausea throughout the weekend, he said.

They now tell dancers not to take things such as aspirin from friends, because they aren't aware of the time, they could potentially take many aspirin in a short amount of time.

David Lindstrom, associate director for administrative services at University Health Services, said he has given advice to dancers in past years.

"You can't really train for a 48-hour dance marathon. You can train for a 26-mile run, things like that; but how to you train yourself to stand on your feet for 48 straight hours?" he said.

To try to prepare for his marathon weekend, Thompson said he has been changing his routine a little bit.

"I've been trying to get an extra hour of sleep every night," Thompson said. "I haven't had any caffeine for about a week and a half now."

Other participants, such as Jessica Carley (senior-biobehavioral health), an operations captain involved in Thon for her third year, are preparing as well.

"I've been trying to lay off the caffeine, get more rest and work out a lot," Carley said. "During Thon, they tell you to eat a lot of fresh fruit and orange juice, just not things like candy bars."

Clark warned dancers not to eat large meals during the weekend, because it could make them sluggish. She said dancers should be "never starving but never stuffed."

Lindstrom said he encourages participation in Thon but added that when a dancer is injured or ill, he or she should practice "healthful decision making.' "We'd like to see you suffering from sleep deprivation and nothing else --sleep deprivation is bad enough," Lindstrom said.