On Feb. 21, 2025, the Bryce-Jordan Center will buzz with excitement as students from hundreds of organizations filter in to participate at THON 2025. I am proud, excited and a little scared that I will be one of the dancers this year.
The decision to forgo sleep and stand for 46 hours straight is not taken lightly. It took me two years to officially decide to run as a dancer for my organization, The Singing Lions.
I know it may seem early to prep for THON 2025. However, everyone who plans to dance or spend a lot of time in the stands must take the time to prepare their bodies for such a strenuous event.
I am so lucky to have a network of more than 15 former dancers to ask for advice before the weekend and an incredible support system in my organization. For anyone who doesn’t have the same resources I do, I hope this article will help you prepare for the best weekend of the year at Penn State.
shoes
When you are planning to be on your feet for 46 hours straight, good shoes are essential.
I went to Rapid Transit on Allen Street in early November for high-quality shoes. I wanted enough time to break them in and allow them to mold to my feet, which is why I bought them now.
Rapid Transit is incredible at finding the perfect shoes for you for THON Weekend. The workers watch you walk, analyze the shape of your foot and find your ideal shoe.
During my visit, I found that the arch of my left foot was causing my chronic knee pain. I got a pair of purple Asics which should help balance my weight distribution.
The workers at Rapid Transit are professional, and I highly recommend them to everyone when it comes time to purchase high-quality running/walking shoes for THON. They also give a 10% discount for involvement in THON, which I thought was incredible.
The best advice I received about shoes as a dancer was to leave sneakers on as long as possible. Your feet will swell if you take them off to let your feet breathe, and it will hurt so much worse when you try to cram them back into your shoes.
Wear your sneakers as long as possible, and dip your feet in the ice bath when you can’t stand it any longer. Switch to socks and a pair of recovery shoes afterward. My plan is to order a pair of OOFOS slides for my last stretch of THON Weekend.
detoxing
Your detox plan is one of the first steps you need to take as a dancer. You will want your body as healthy and clean as it can be going into THON Weekend, which means cutting out addictive substances like caffeine and alcohol.
I am currently student teaching full-time and have a pretty severe caffeine addiction, so I chose my last day of student teaching to start my detox. I will begin weaning myself off caffeine on Dec. 13 and cutting it out completely by the end of the month.
Many dancers set Jan. 1 as their last day drinking alcohol. Ring in the New Year (responsibly and only if you are over 21), then cut the drinking habits.
Make sure your body has time to adjust well before THON Weekend. You don’t want your body relying on any substances you can’t have with you in the BJC.
exercising
Although there is no way to truly prepare your body for 46 hours of standing, you can train your body to be more ready.
I began doing more cardio and leg/lower back strength training in mid-October and will continue to exercise until the week before THON. I will take a break at that point so I don’t have any unnecessary muscle soreness going into the weekend.
diet
Fuel. Your. Body.
Get a nice balance of fruits, vegetables, protein, grains and carbs. Consider adding a daily vitamin to your routine as well.
The importance of a healthy diet for an event like this cannot be overstated.
making a plan for the weekend
You’ll make many important decisions as a dancer the closer you get to THON Weekend.
First of all, do you want to know the time or not? Most dancers choose not to know the time throughout THON Weekend and use big events like the pep rally to mark major checkpoints.
I am choosing to know the time because not knowing would make me anxious, especially since my organization typically performs each THON Weekend and I arrange the pass lists/know the times for these events. I know I will want to prepare myself before going on stage.
Secondly, who do you want to support you on the floor? Start thinking of a general list of people who will best support you through the toughest moments. When it comes time to decide who goes on your pass list, you’ll already have it narrowed down.
Keep in mind that a digital line pass may allow the same person down multiple times. A Dancer Support Pass is a one-time ticket.
Are there any activities you think will help you on the floor? Luckily, THON is full of many performances, activities and visits from your support system, so you won’t have to worry too much about getting bored.
I’m still planning on bringing a few activities like a book, a journal and some sort of craft. Standing for 46 hours in a large crowd can also be overstimulating, so bringing a pair of headphones and some downloaded playlists isn’t a bad idea.
finding your “why”
Going into the weekend, I know I’ll need to remind myself that it is supposed to be hard. It is supposed to hurt. It is supposed to be absolutely exhausting.
Dancers go through all of this, and it is not even a fraction of what the children we are supporting go through.
My “why” is our organization’s families and the members of The Singing Lions who will be in the stands/on the floor with me. I will be thinking about our girls and all my incredible friends cheering me on the whole time I’m on the floor.
The love that goes into THON means the world to me, as do our Angels’ stories. I will be thinking about them and the way they fought so hard. If they can be so strong at such a young age, I can do this.
Whether you are dancing or in the stands, find your “why” to get you through and remind yourself of it throughout the weekend.
Getting through THON is largely mental. Physical strength and training can only do so much once sleep deprivation kicks in.
Prepare yourself for that lack of control, the need to rely on others for support and the fact that some moments will just be difficult. Know that there are so many people in the BJC to support you and your feelings throughout the weekend are valid.
A low is just a low. There will still be highs throughout the weekend, no matter what might upset you at the moment.
It’s a marathon, not a sprint after all. I fully believe that if I go in with an open mind and accept the loss of control, I can make it through the 46 hours.
Whether you are participating in the stands or on the floor, thank you for choosing to dance for a cure. Hopefully, we will all be dancing in celebration together one day.
FTK always, and good luck prepping for THON 2025!