PUBLISHED 05/15/2008
Sex in the Cities
Running clubs give singles an alternative to the bar scene
"The New York Road Runners is the best place in the world for people to meet," says Mary Wittenberg, the president and CEO of this 46,000-member club. "Our races and training runs have a fun, collegial atmosphere that makes it easy to walk up and talk to people. The odds are good that you'll meet someone who shares your interests." The 100-plus-member Atlanta Singles Running Organization is more explicit about its matchmaking focus: You must be single to join the club, but if you get hitched, you're welcome to stay. "It's not a date-seeking frenzy," says Tina Zingo, who met her husband through the club in 2005. "If you're new in the area, it's a great way to make friends." The same is true for the San Francisco FrontRunners. Not all members seek romance--some runners join this gay and lesbian group for the comfort and camaraderie that come from knowing everyone's orientation. But Chuck Louden, vice president of the club, says that singles looking to mingle generally join the group in the spring, when turnout for training runs surges from 100 to 200 runners.
Hot to Trot
How running heightens sexual attraction
"The physical energy and mental well-being you experience from running make you more likely to feel sexual," says Helen Fisher, Ph.D., a Rutgers University anthropologist specializing 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," Fisher says. "You observe personality traits, such as persistence, grace, and stamina. In the world of courtship, running is like the peacock displaying his tail."
High-Speed Hookup: Log on to find a fit match
Some 20,000 hopefuls have posted their profiles on runningsingles.com, an online dating site founded in 2003 that caters to runners. "People who run 50 miles a week want to be with someone who understands they need to get in those miles," says CEO Brad Armstrong.
