Friends Lauren Bloom and Eliana Muskin have a lot in common.

Both are 21-year-old residents of West Orange, where they are members of Ahawas Achim B’nai Jacob and David.

Both are alumni of Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School in Livingston and currently attend Stern College for Women at Yeshiva University.

And both will run in the IMG Half-Marathon in Miami on Jan. 28, raising almost $6,500 between the two of them for seriously ill children in the process.

Team Lifeline was created as a training and fund-raising program to recruit runners and walkers for the Florida race to raise money for Chai Lifeline. The international children’s health support organization provides emotional, social, and financial assistance to seriously ill children and their families and communities.

For Muskin, a biology major in the premed program, the decision to run is a tribute to one of her campers from her days as a counselor at Camp Simcha in Glen Spey, NY — one of Chai Lifeline’s 75 programs. The girl died last year. “I was trying to do something in her memory. When I saw [Team Lifeline], I decided this was a good thing to do.”

Bloom, an art major, is also “thrilled to be able to combine the running with the fund-raising component.”

Although both young women were members of the Kushner track team, a half-marathon — 13.1 miles — represents unchartered territory. The Web site includes links to training schedules, coaching tips, and other running resources. In addition to practical information about running, TL also provides suggestions on the fund-raising side of the equation, which can be just as difficult for some participants.

Muskin is following the “rookie” schedule because, she said, she’s never done any long distance training. Bloom said she was adhering strictly to the site’s recommendations. “I’m really excited. I get nervous, but I push myself,” she said.

Bloom, who has been keeping a 10 minute-per-mile training pace, said she has not set a time goal. “I just want to be able to finish it,” she said.

Muskin’s primary goal is to finish, but as she sees improvement in her training times, she can see finishing the course in two-and-a-half hours. The women train together as often as possible, both in West Orange and in Manhattan, “to keep on top of each other,” said Bloom.

“We are so happy to welcome Lauren and Eliana to our roster of participants for this year’s event,” said Team Lifeline chair Ari Weinberger in an e-mail to NJ Jewish News. “At the end of last year’s IMG Miami Marathon and Half-Marathon, all our runners said that the prep time was well worth the experience of spending a weekend together with others committed to Chai Lifeline. This year, our team consists of 63 men and women, and we’re all looking forward to a great weekend, a fantastic run, and making a significant contribution to the children of this wonderful organization.”

Twenty-six runners participated in 2006, the first year of the TL program, donating, on average, over $5,500 each for a total of more than $143,000.

Team Lifeline provides roundtrip airfare to Miami; three nights in a hotel; entry fees for the race of choice; fund-raising materials, ideas, and strategies; and a pre-race pasta party and post-race “victory” party. Sabbath meals and services are optional and at extra cost.