Back To Basics

This week I ran 42 miles.

In general I was happy with the runs, but something has struck me about what I was doing this week.
I was running without a plan.

Monday was a six mile run, squeezed in because of work, and was 'just a run', not hard, not easy, and a bit hilly.
Tuesday was a bit more focused. Again six miles, but a tempo of sorts. A mile warmup, and a tempo / fartlek type of few miles in the middle. 6:39, 6:36, 6:35, 6:25, with a cool down mile to finish.
No run Wednesday.
Thursday, planned for 8 miles to try to make 20 for the week so far. As it was after work, it was dark, so I ran to the local college which has a dirt track. Again, two miles to warmup and then a tempo 'of sorts' / speed work. A mile at 6:30, an easy mile, 6:17, an easy mile, 6:10 and home to finish at just over 8.
No run Friday.
Saturday again looking for a tempo of sorts, but over some hilly terrain. Setting off on an easy mile, but up a big hill, the legs felt well. I was confident that they should be fresh enough as I hadn't run the day before. With a half marathon in March as my first target race, I needed to start upping the distance on the tempo's, so the plan was after the easy mile, run 8 at tempo pace of 6:50.
At the off of the tempo segment, as has been happening a lot recently, I ran the first mile fast, and it was mostly downhill, 6:35. Second mile, flatter terrain, 6:39. Next few miles were varied in terms of terrain, with some not too challenging up and downs, 6:36, 6:41, 6:39.
And then the problems began. The legs were ready to be finished. 6:51, and the last tempo mile, mile 7 a real struggle to push out 6:45. So, I only managed 7 tempo miles, and a 7:55 to finish the 9 mile session.
Sunday was a nice day, a lot milder than of late, and I enjoyed an easy 13 miles over 1:42. No pushing, just rolling at an easy pace with the terrain, but at times sweating quite hard, although I think I might have overdressed for the occasion.

So my issue is this. I have not been applying enough discipline to my runs, and just getting carried away in the early miles. Setting the watch to a pace, and not sticking to it, or randomly running 'fast miles' at times with no structure or sequence.
I need to get back to basics. An easy run is an easy run. A tempo is a tempo, set a target pace for a set number of miles, and stick to it. Speed work needs to be more focused.
Starting strong, getting carried away in the middle, and struggling to finish is learner stuff. I had hoped I was slightly past that stage.

So, more structure, more focus, less exuberance, more quality.
Back to basics.