The Science of Running And Your Sex Life

Physical activity is part of a person’s overall health and wellness. It can even have an impact on your sexual health, including an increase in arousal, specifically when it comes to cardio and endurance training. But physical activity isn’t as cut and dry as it may seem. Just as we often talk about how varied bodies are in relation to sex, the same applies to forms of movement. When we think about exercise, there’s a few main types that come to mind including weight lifting, HIIT and body weight workouts, and running. While there are thousands of different ways to incorporate movement into your routine, running can be an easy one to try out. You just grab a pair of sneakers and hit the pavement (or a treadmill). But there’s a little more to it than that. We’re going to give a brief overview for those looking to learn more about running and how to incorporate it into your workout schedule. 

On Your Mark 

There are quite a few reasons why people decide to pick up running. It’s a great form of cardio and a way to increase stamina and endurance (which can have benefits in the bedroom too). For those who have a competitive side, it also provides easy opportunities to train for races, track PRs, and feel like you’re working towards a goal. But that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. 

Some of the pros of running:

• Running increases your heart rate pretty quickly, leading to an efficient workout
• It has a low barrier to entry in the sense that you don’t need to purchase an expensive gym membership or classes to get started, although a good pair of running shoes can be pricey
• Some people experience a runner's high, where the flood of endorphins we get during exercise gives them a euphoric and relaxed feeling both during and after their run
• Movement of any form has a direct correlation to improved mental health. With running in particular, some people find that it provides an opportunity to be with their own thoughts in order to process emotions, work through problems, or brainstorm ideas 
• Running is incredibly buildable. It’s hard to max out your training when you can always aim for a faster time or longer distance if you’re wanting additional challenges

Just as any form of exercise, running also has some cons:

• Running is considered a high-impact activity. It’s tough on your joints and can lead to injuries. Good warm ups and cool downs are essential at any point in your running journey to help prevent injuries
• It’s easy to overdo it with running. There’s a benefit to pushing ourselves during workouts. But there is a time and place and it’s important to pay attention to our bodies. Runners might find themselves pushing through pain or injuries, especially when there’s a race or goal they are training for 
• While this isn’t a con that should deter anyone, running and the culture around running can feel intimidating. Sometimes it seems like running should be so simple and that anyone can do it. But there are a number of reasons why people might not want to, can’t run, or it’s just not the best choice for them. Even if you do want to run and it works well for your body, it’s easy to go from 0 to 100 instead of actually training in alignment with where you’re at

When it comes to your gear, you really only need clothes that feel comfortable for running and some running shoes. You can get running shoes that range from $10 at the thrift store to hundreds of dollars. This is completely up to preference, just be sure to find a pair that is comfortable for you. Of course the shoes with higher price tags can have benefits around injury prevention and comfort, but runners that are just getting started don’t need to spend an entire paycheck on new kicks. Just make sure you’re running in actual sneakers versus shoes like AF1s or Dunks that may look cool, but are not really geared for performance. Trust us, your body will not be happy.

The same goes for other gear. There are tons of options around specific running socks, clothes, glasses, bags, headphones, and more. You can buy what works best for you and your budget, but none of it is required to go on a run. Start with the essentials and you can always add on when you really get into running. 

Get Set

Your workout should start well before you hit the ground running. If you want to hop on the fast track to an injury, get up, get dressed, and start running. For those who would prefer to not have a short-lived season, start with some dynamic stretching. Dynamic stretching helps get your muscles and joints prepped for running, especially because it’s a high-impact activity. As opposed to static, dynamic stretches won’t be held in certain positions for very long (we’ll save those for the cool down). There are tons of walk throughs and videos of dynamic warm-ups online, but a few good moves to get you started are front and side lunges, leg swings, ankle rolls, alternating cat and cow stretches, and one legged hops. From there, start your run with at least a 5 minute brisk walk before picking up the pace.

If you’ve never run before or the last time you can remember running was the pacer test in high school (sorry for triggering those flashbacks), let's make sure you’re prepared and not having to bench yourself due to diving in too fast. Your first few runs shouldn’t be an all-out exertion. Get a sense for where you’re at and how it feels. Try some indoor and outdoor runs if you have access to both options. Run at a pace where you could hold a conversation without totally running out of breath. That may mean that you’re basically doing a fast walk at first, and that’s fine. Don’t worry about your pace, whether you’re running a 16-minute mile or a 5 minute mile, you’re still getting work done. Approach the distance with a similar mindset. If you’re just getting started, time over distance can be helpful. Instead of committing to a 3 mile run, decide to run for 20 to 30 minutes. If you need to walk, go for it, just keep your body moving for the time you decide on. This method can also help you gauge where your endurance and stamina are at. 

Go

There’s even variety in the type of running you can opt for. All of them have different benefits depending on your training goals and style preferences. Even if you aren’t training for anything in particular, switching up the types of runs you do can help keep things from getting boring. 

Base Runs

These are the core runs that most people keep in rotation. When you think of “going for a run”, base runs are likely what come to mind. It’s a classic run where you’re exerting around 65% of your energy. You’re not pushing yourself incredibly hard, but you’re doing more than a light jog. During race training, the majority of runs will consist of base run and if you’re a beginner runner, these can be an easy way to get started without pushing too hard. 

Long Distance Runs

Similar to a base run, long distance runs will also take a medium amount of energy in terms of your pace, but will push your distance further. They are intended to increase your endurance instead of speed. A long distance can mean different things for different people. Ultimately, it’s a more challenging distance than your base run. This could mean adding on an extra mile or nearing the length of a marathon, if you’re in training. If you find yourself adjusting to the length of your long distance runs, you can establish that distance as your new base run length and then increase your long distance run even further. 

Whether or not you’re training for an event, long distance runs shouldn’t be done more than 1 to 2 times a week in order to allow your body time to properly recover. 

Interval Training

Interval training is great for all levels because of how customizable it is. Simply put, it’s running at different speeds throughout your run. This could mean doing sets of run and walk sequences or sprints and jogs. Interval training targets speed and power due to the bursts of a quicker pace balanced with a slower interval. Since interval training is so broad, you can adjust it to accommodate what works best for you. Some people like to set their intervals by distance, time, or even place markers outside such as “I’ll sprint to the fire hydrant at the end of the block and then jog past ten houses before picking a new marker to sprint to.” You can even incorporate intervals into a longer workout to mix things up. If you’re getting bored during a long distance run, throw some intervals in to distract yourself until you get in the groove again. 

Hill Runs

These are pretty self explanatory in the sense that, yes, they are runs up and down hills. Beyond the definition, there isn’t much set structure around how someone has to do hill running. Ultimately, the goal is to increase stamina and hill runs are especially helpful when training for a race. They can help prepare you for any hills that might be on the course and increase your speed for the even areas. Just keep in mind that you may need to adjust your pace depending on how steep the hill is. 

Tempo Runs

Think of tempo runs like keeping the beat to a song, and in fact, that’s a way to go about tempo runs. These focus on the speed at which you're running, with the goal being to increase the length of time you can run at a faster speed. Tempo runs are different from interval training or sprinting because the goal isn’t to go all out for a set period of time. Instead, you want to go a little faster than your base run while going as long as you can. If your base run is a 10 minute mile for 3 to 4 miles, try aiming for a 9:45 mile for 4 to 4.5 miles. To track your pace, you can use your choice of smart watch or app. If you want some pump up music to keep you on track, look up what BPM correlates to the mile time you’re looking to achieve. Search that BPM on your music platform of choice and there will likely be tons of playlists that pop up for that exact purpose.

Recovery Runs

A recovery run might sound a bit like an oxymoron because we don’t always associate recovery and exercising together. However, studies have shown that recovery runs can actually help facilitate quicker and improved recovery. These runs are best utilized after an incredibly hard run that you’ve been working towards. This might be a half or full marathon or a hard day of interval training. The goal of recovery runs is to help your body from immediately crashing after doing something physically challenging. Ideally, these happen within 24 hours of your challenging workout, prior to you becoming so sore that you don’t think you’ll ever be able to leave the couch again. In terms of intensity, they should feel laughably easy compared to the day before. If your run the day before was a 10, keep your recovery run between a 1 to 3 both in terms of speed and distance. We’re wanting to keep the body moving and blood flowing without actually putting additional stress on the body. It could be that a true Recovery Run isn’t in the cards, so you can always swap it out for a walk. 

If you’ve been considering incorporating running into your routine, our favorite benefit has to be the positive impact it can have in the bedroom. But beyond that, it can be a great way to improve physical and mental health, in addition to sexual health. Try out the different training styles to see what works best for you, grab a friend to go on a run, and don’t forget to bring some Champ Wipes for the post-run clean-up (yes, they work for all types of clean-up scenarios).