Abstaining from sex before competition might have worked for Ikkos of Tarentum, but personally- I believe the more the better, especially during the weeks leading up to the big Ironman. Makes sense, especially since I have more time on my hands and I am sleeping more anyway. I believe the benefits of sex far outweigh the benefits of abstaining, even if it means that I might be “too relaxed” the day of the competition. Maybe before a sprint tri, I would abstain to overload my adrenal glands and get me really “psyched up” prior to the big race, but, before an Ironman- I say increase sexual activity by at least 30-40% over the 3 weeks leading up to your IM, and 50% the week right before.
Personally, I’ve never noticed much of a difference regarding abstaining one way or another, at least since taking up tris. Actually, now that I think back to some of my better races, I probably did abstain (incidentally) the night before, but there were definitely other factors going on.
A good friend in high school, who was an all-state runner, managed to shack up with his girlfriend within a half hour of the two-mile race in the state regional meet and drop his pr from 10:00 to 9:40. That’s a pretty compelling argument against abstaining.
If you get so serious about your recreational activities that you are willing to forgo drinking beer with your friends the night before, you have a problem. If you are so serious about your recreational activities that you are purposely avoiding sex you have a much bigger problem. Just my two cents.