As the marathon begins, most dancers burst with energy as they move to the beat. Keeping up that strength for 26 hours straight is a matter of willpower, but also a matter of preparation.
In the week before Dance Marathon, second-year physiological sciences student Celina Mercer and second-year anthropology student Sarah Shaw cut back on their regular workouts to give their bodies some rest. As veterans of the marathon, they have taken several steps to ensure their endurance through the night.
Both drank three bottles of water on Friday night, and had a hearty breakfast of oatmeal and Bruin Cafe muffins. At 1 a.m. on Sunday, a moraler friend will deliver ice cream to them. The friends also decided to cut back on their costumes, aiming for comfort rather than flashiness.
“The name of the game is survival,” Shaw said.
Dancers Becca White and Marguerite Walker powered up on Starbucks this morning after waking up at 6 a.m. Both are nursing students at San Diego State University, and made the drive up to Westwood this morning to support White’s brother, a dance captain at the marathon.
Erin Berlin, a third-year environmental science student, said she did not make many efforts to prepare ““ she could have slept more, and is out of shape. Many students are in the same boat as Berlin, and will be relying on the cause they’re dancing for to give them power until 1 p.m. tomorrow.