When it comes to bedroom aerobics, lots of guys try to set themselves up for success by going under the covers with a particular set of tactics. Maybe they go in with a playbook of sex positions guaranteed to help their partners achieve the big ‘O.’ They could use some foreplay maneuvers designed to spice up the pre-game. Maybe they just take it slow.
Runners, of course, are no exceptions to sexual “strategery.” And since Valentine’s Day is coming up, we’re wondering: Do their bedroom antics match their style on the race course? Do marathoners take it slow and steady? Do mud runners like it dirty? Do sprinters—okay, we’ll spare the sprinters any unfair comparisons. (But if you are an unfortunate member of the Minute Man Club, here’s how you can improve your, ahem, endurance in the bedroom.)
Fortunately, Brooks Running has done some legwork, so to speak, on this exact topic. The shoe brand interviewed 1,000 runners—all of whom run recreationally at least two times per week—in the U.S., Canada, Britain, Italy, France, Spain, and Germany, and asked two multiple-choice questions:
— What best describes your style of intimacy? — What post-run effects turn you on the most?
People could select multiple answers, so the final tallies added up to more than 100%.
THE RESULTS
When it comes to “style of intimacy,” most runners like to get rabbity.
Out of all the respondents worldwide, 37% answered intervals (“Periods of high energy, but with breaks in between”)—particularly in Italy, where a full 41% of people picked this answer. Almost as many people worldwide (34%) said they preferred marathon sex sessions (“slow and steady, I’m in it for the long run.”)
There were regional variations, of course. Italians, Spaniards, and Germans vastly preferred intervals to marathon sex, whereas people take it slower in France and Canada. Only 32% of Canucks prefer interval-style intimacy, while a majority 34% go slow and steady.
Americans split the difference, with 35% preferring marathon bedroom sessions and 34% preferring it fast and furious. A remaining 19% of Yanks prefer “mud run-styled” sex (“a little dirty with a lot of laughs”), while a more milquetoast 10% chalked up their intercourse as a rest day (“I don’t want to risk injury”). (Yes, injuries happen—one sex position in particular is actually more likely to break your penis.)
As for the biggest post-run turn-ons, there are a few clear choices. The vast majority of people surveyed—at least 50% in most cases—said they enjoyed “the energy boost it gives me” (especially in Italy) or because “it makes me feel strong and confident” (especially in Germany and the U.S., where 62% of people chose that option). The third-most popular response was “being warmed up and flexible” (30% worldwide, 34% in the U.S.). In fourth place with 19% was “getting sweaty,” although Americans (24%) seem to be the most okay with getting all dripping wet.
