Sex before an athletic competition: yes or no?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’m a track runner for my college and next weekend is my first meet of the year. It is also the weekend after my girlfriend’s 21st birthday, and she’ll be staying with me in town to watch me compete and in celebration of her birthday. As we were discussing our plans for the weekend, however, the subject of sex came up. She maintains that sex before a race is bad (for whatever reasons, mostly because it supposedly makes you tired or weak). Now, this isn’t the first time I’ve heard this; in fact, this is something that I’ve heard all throughout my life as an athlete, yet I have not encountered any factual information to support or refute these claims.

So I turn to the Dope for the answer to my question. But it’s not a question per-se so I’ll put it in this forum*. Is it a bad idea to have sex (with yourself or a partner) before a race (or any sort of athletic event)? Do you think that there is a physiological reason that would make it bad, or is it purely a psychological factor? Eager minds await your opinions.

*If I’m wrong I apologize to the mods and send out many thanks for their patience.

2

Before, after, during… you take it where you can get it, son.

3

I say go for it. And if you can’t have sex, masturbate vigorously. :stuck_out_tongue:

No really. After I have sex, I feel like friggin Hercules. No shame in that :smiley:

4

Just an old wives’ tale. You can have sex anytime you want and be fine for the race, as long as you don’t stay up all night doing it.

Same rules apply as normal, just get enough sleep before the race and eat a decent breakfast, you’ll be fine.

5

You’re a runner and not a sprinter, right? It should be fine.

6

Sex with athletes is usually pretty good regardless of when they compete. I say yes…yyess…Yes…YES!

7

This is why I want to get back in shape. :wink:

8

You mean like a motherfuck!

9

Actually I’m a sprinter/jumper. I was under the impression that it was nothing more than a wive’s tale as well, but for some reason, I sometimes feel really, really tired after a nice long session (or even a short one :smiley: ). In any event, it usually doesn’t wear me out any more than a couple laps around the track, so I don’t see where it would have any impact on my performance (no pun intended).

10

Amen to that…especially with my gf being a few hundred miles away :frowning: .

11

I second that.
bamf

12

Oh, man. I’m going to put my vote down in the “go for it” column, now. Being away from one’s SO sucks mightily.

bamf

13

Sprinting and jumping have a high-level of central nervous system involvement, and orgasms are not kind to your CNS. A good night’s sleep should be enough to get over it, but it’s not guaranteed to bring your performance on the track up to 100%.

14

Don’t run and have sex with your girlfriend.

Walk and have sex with lots of girlfriends… :smiley:

15

Thanks for the info ultrafilter. So I assume a session about an hour or two before I’m supposed to compete would not be advisable? How about right after I wake up? :cool:

16

There’s a lot of individual variation. How lucky do you feel?

17

Oh, come on now. You need some kind of backup for this. Orgasms are mighty kind to my central nervous system.

18

Have sex before.

Wouldn’t it be tougher to run with a raging hard on? :smiley:

Unless you’re going for the pole vault…

::d&r::

19

Yeah, I was thinking, “Screw the competition. If your gf is willing to have sex with you, then go for it”

You need to sort your priorities, man.
:smiley:

20

Ever tried to jump for a competition afterwards?