When you know you will be on your feet for 46 hours straight, preparation is crucial. Insuring that your body and mind are ready for the extreme exertion of dancing can make things a lot easier come THON weekend. We asked some dancers how they prepared in the weeks leading up to THON 2014.

Melinda Formola

“Cut out coffee, cut out alcohol, and do tons of stretching and cardio. Watching your diet is really important also. Although, it’s just as much of a mental hurdle as it is a physical one.”

Kat Yaiser

“I really don’t know how I prepared, you kind of just have to mentally prepare. There’s not much you can physically— you’re either in it or you’re not. You just have to get in the mindset that you’re not going to sleep, and try to get enough rest leading up to THON.”

Connor Kincheloe

“I cut out alcohol about a month ahead of time, and I really focused a lot on stretching. That’s what I thought was most key.”

Jenne Lahov

“I’m training to run in Tough Mudder, so I kept doing that. Just taking care of yourself in general, and not being out all night helps. Don’t drink lots of caffeine!”

George Flower

“Well I was sick in the beginning so that kind of threw a wrench, but I spent a lot of time working out my legs. I have knee problems so that’s not something I do often. Jut a lot of leg muscle endurance things. Things can be pretty hard when your legs physically fail on you.”

Bret Pontillo

“I was in the dancer lottery because I started a first year organization this past February, so I only found out about two and a half weeks ago that I would be dancing. Once I found out I started going to the gym three to four times a week and did heavy cardio and some weight lifting. Also stretching everyday, because you don’t want to cramp up out here.”