It's all relative!

  Strange that the phrase "it's all relative" came to my mind as I prepared to get in the all important 22 miler. I had prepared very well for the long run by staying VERY well hydrated all day yesterday and being sure I was fueled well, too. I got with it early today, up by 5:30, read my Bible for about 30 minutes, ate my waffles with honey and peanut  butter, got my fluids and gels ready and by 7:37 I hit the start button. My mantra for the day was, oddly, it's all relative! I don't have any idea what that means but it came to mind:)
  My goal was to run a 10 minute warm up then run the rest of the way in base pace range-5.9-6.5 mph @ 1 degree incline.
   So after the warm up I launched into the run and planned on starting at 5.9mph and increasing .1mph every 10 minutes to 6.5mph and repeating until I reached 22 miles. I changed this as I reached 6.5mph I just held that for 30 minutes then decreased .1mph every 20 minutes....I will say I really began to hurt at about 20.5 miles but I held on repeating "it's all relative"....weird! I finished this run in 3:32.50! This is a 9:40 pace! I was surprised that I was able to hold on....I had to work hard and the last 1/2 mile I was in the wheeze zone but I made it!
  One thing I have learned during my treadmill experiment. It works! It is an excellent  way to force yourself to maintain a pace and to learn pacing. I proved this in the half I just ran and I strongly believe in mixing in treadmill training with road work.
  I have never ever run a 22 miler at this pace! I used to run these long runs in the 11's so I am pumped. So it's in the bank! I probably will take tomorrow off and then recovery run Wednesday with a tempo run or MP run later this week. This is the last week before taper! Peace!