Base Training Week 1

With a training plan that goes until the end of the year, I feel I need to acknowledge small milestones in order to avoid falling off the beaten path and ending up in oblivion....unfocused, lost, and hopeless.
Week 1 was an awesome success! I loved how I stuck to the plan, most days, and ended up achieving my goal! Achievement is always an awesome feeling! And I am saying most days as I did do a little run jiggle to account for switching my long run day to Friday from Saturday.
So here is my plan and my reality:

I do realize my range in total miles is significant but I feel it is an added element that I need in my training. As a full-time employee and a mom, life can pop up quite often and make me feel like a failure if I don't get x miles done. Having a range each day makes it seem more doable. But I must confess, in the initial base building weeks of my plan, I do want to be more to the upper end of the range versus the lower one mainly because that is the idea of base building.
It was hard in some ways to run slower all week for every run. I did do minor pace fluctuations within my easy run 99% of the time. On Friday in the last mile, I went a wee bit faster but nothing too significant to risk injury or take away from the point of this cycle. I am working on building up my weekly mileage....not increasing speed. I also toyed with the incline when running at the gym to keep boredom at bay. P.S. My target easy pace is between 9'40" and 10'00" unless I am at home on the incline treadmill. Then I slow down.
What did I learn? Yes, every running week has learning lessons and this week I learned that my body is predictable and wonderful. I repeatedly felt a bit heavy between 40-45 minutes...a time frame when one may be tempted to stop with the thought process, I am tired, I can't go on. Thing is, I am not sure I was tired per se. I envisioned my body switching over or finding a new energy source within itself and it always did. Between 50-60 minutes I felt perfectly fine again!
How did I fuel? Fuel, what fuel? Since the bulk of my run were around an hour in duration or less, I didn't take any fuel or water during my runs. On my long run, I did sip diluted Gatorade and took one GU gel but I was sure to take it after the 45 minute mark when my body was beginning to feel a wee bit stronger. I wanted to push through that little hurdle myself like I had been doing all week. Thing is, I keep saying I want to try more natural gels and I keep sticking to the tried and true. The reality is, if I want to try new gels, now is the time! Plus I did have my standard protein drink after most runs. I kinda forget it on Sunday. What can I say? Oopsie!
In addition, I completed week 1 of my Amazing April Abs. I committed to 10-minutes of abdominal work each day and stuck to my guns and got it done. And as an added bonus, it helped me earn some extra points for the Spring Bootie Buster Challenge! I am so looking forward to week 2!
Challenges next week: One would think after a successful week pulling it off again is a piece of cake. Nope. Don't worry, I have confidence in myself but realize last week I was blessed with only working two days. Darling daughter was on Easter break so I had three vacation days and the two days I worked, dear hubby was with her so I had less time constraints. This week, I need to be successful while working 40 hours and sticking to a tight timeline! Wish me luck!
Daily Gratitude: I am thankful for gift certificates.
Daily Affirmation: I deeply and completely love and accept myself....I DO!