# Running 10km taught me to listen to my body > Training for a race changed how I eat, sleep, and understand what my body needs. - Title: Running 10km taught me to listen to my body · Psychologies - Summary: Training for a race changed how I eat, sleep, and understand what my body needs. Measuring your body through training data helps you understand it better… - Keywords: running, 10km race, la parisienne, training, garmin forerunner 170, sports watch, sleep tracking, body measurement, fitness coaching, suzanne cariant, recovery, vo2 max - Source: Psychologies — https://psychologies.com/bien-etre/forme/Jai-couru-10-km-apres-des-semaines-a-mesurer-mon-corps-mais-jai-surtout-appris-a-mieux-me-connaitre-641137 - Author: Cécilia Ouibrahim - Published: 2026-09-20T11:26:41+00:00 - Read time: 3 min - Topics: running, 10km race, la parisienne, training, garmin forerunner 170, sports watch, sleep tracking, body measurement, fitness coaching, suzanne cariant, recovery, vo2 max ## Running with a goal changes everything Training for a 10km race taught me that preparing for a goal transforms more than just my running. It changed how I eat, sleep, and listen to my body. ## My father's motto became my compass My dad ran the Paris Marathon and gave me a motto: CVPP, for courage, willpower, insight, and perseverance. It stayed with me through childhood and into this race. ## Loving to run and training for a race are different I've always loved running freely. But training for a specific event meant learning to build, recover, and push through days when motivation was low. ## My coach taught me to run slowly Coach Suzanne Cariant showed me that running slowly is part of training, not a failure. Recovery is as important as speed work. ## Training rippled into my whole day I started eating scrambled eggs for breakfast, paying attention to hydration, and creating recovery rituals. The race affected the other 23 hours of my day. ## My watch revealed my sleep patterns The Garmin Forerunner 170 tracked my sleep quality, deep sleep, REM sleep, and gave me a sleep score. It showed me I sleep little but sometimes the data was reassuring. ## Numbers helped me understand my body Once I started measuring my body, I began to understand it better. The watch tracked VO2 max, recovery time, and training load, giving me a fuller picture. > Once you start measuring your body, you start to understand it and hopefully listen to it. ## Numbers can become judgments Fast paces felt like good sessions, slow ones like failures. I realized I was turning data into grades and risking new ways to judge myself harshly. ## A thought is not a fact My coach reminded me that doubt before a race is not an objective measure of my fitness. A thought is not a fact. This changed how I read my watch data. > A thought is not a fact. ## I learned to balance data and feeling I started comparing what my watch said to how my body actually felt. Fatigue became a signal to listen to, not a sign of weakness. ## Perseverance means knowing when to rest I grew up with courage and willpower. But I learned that perseverance also means recognizing when to step back and recover, not just pushing harder. ## The taper phase is mental, not physical As race day approached, training volume dropped. The real work became mental: trusting my preparation and managing doubt instead of doing more. ## Stress means this matters to me My coach reframed stress as a sign that the race mattered, not proof I was unprepared. That shift changed how I felt about my nerves. ## Control what you can, release the rest I cannot control the weather, other runners, or how I'll feel at kilometer eight. I can control my pace, my breathing, and my focus. ## My anchor phrase came from childhood I chose CVPP, my father's motto, as my anchor phrase to return to when the race got hard. It reminded me why I was there. ## Race day surprised me completely On September 13th, surrounded by 20,000 women, I let go of control. The energy and atmosphere carried me to a pace and time I never thought possible. ## Data cannot predict adrenaline All my training data could not predict the adrenaline, the crowd energy, and the desire I would find on race day. Some things stay beautifully unpredictable. ## I ran alone but felt surrounded My friends sent messages, my brother and uncle cheered on the course. I thought this would be solitary, but I carried their support with me. ## The race became collective By sharing my training journey, I brought my loved ones along. One of my best memories was not the race itself, but how much it became ours together. ## Key takeaway Measuring your body through training data helps you understand it better, but only when you balance numbers with how you actually feel.