Q Does running heighten sexual attraction?
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
From the August 2012 issue of Runner’s World
The myths and facts behind sex and running
By Meghann Birks
Q Does running heighten sexual attraction?
A “The physical energy and mental well-being you experience from running make you more likely to feel sexual,” says Helen Fisher, Ph.D., an anthropologist specialising in sexuality. But feeling good about yourself isn’t the only reason that running can be a turn-on. It also drives up dopamine, a pleasure-triggering chemical that elevates testosterone, the hormone of desire. The novelty of running with someone new may raise those levels even further. Of course, running also reveals your assets and puts others’ on display. “You see, hear and smell the other person,” says Fisher. “You observe personality traits, such as persistence, grace and stamina. In the world of courtship, running is like the peacock displaying his tail.”
Q Does sex before competition hurt your running?
A Not tonight honey, I’m racing tomorrow. It’s an ancient excuse – literally – dating back to Ikkos of Tarentum who swore off sex for months leading up to the Olympic Games of 44 BC. (On the upside, Ikkos won the Pentathlon.) But chances are you won’t exert enough energy to tap into your reserves. “Ten minutes of sex burns 50 to 60 calories on average, equivalent to walking 800 metres,” say Tommy Bonne, Ph.D., author of Sex Before Athletic Competition: Myth or Fact. Even better, sex could possibly improve your performance. “There is anecdotal evidence that it has a positive effect,” says Boone. “If sex helps you relax, reduces your anxiety, and helps you sleep, then why would you give it up? You could e worse off not doing it.” Now there’s a new way to get a little faster.
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