I am doing the 70 mpw plan...because of my commute/work, I can manage to run 8-10 miles on roads where I live (moderately hilly) then do the rest of the mileage when I get to work on the treadmill in the gym. For example, toady I did ten roads, then 4 TM...
the max time between these two runs is 2 hours 15-2 and a half hours.
I know not the same as doing it all at once, but is it still beneficial?
Medium long run has specific marathon application. Best to make it as long as possible. I would also argue that you are taking way too little time in between efforts.You should be refueling and recovering after a run, not running again within a couple of hours.
Pete writes that the mid-week, medium-long, "reinforce the physiological benefits of your long runs." Thus, as Bagger mentioned, they should be as long as possible.
I believe you are trying to achieve that with a shortened recovery before your second run, but I think that is probably a useless approach given the 2+ hour time span. If it were 15-20 minutes, I might think differently.
I believe you are waiting too long between your double to get a "long run" benefit and you aren't recovering enough for a second run to offer recovery benefit either. I would suggest finding more time and lengthening the first run, or waiting longer and taking a second run at recovery pace.
Running 14 miles in two runs is certainly beneficial, but it is not the medium long run you seek. At that point it just becomes mileage. Sorry I guess logistics are preventing you from doing this but you are certainly not achieving the goal of the workout.
Having done the Pfitz plan 2x, I believe the medium long run is the most important workout in the plan. It's impossible to know your cirumstances but I woke up 45 minutes earlier every week to get this done.
i also agree the medium long run is important maybe not as much as the long run or the threshold workout but you should try your best to run them. I ran pfitz plan twice also and really saw a difference after i started doing the medium long runs, both physiological and psychological.
Are his training schedules online? Thanks
You may be able to find a version of it somewhere online.
But you need to buy the book..."Advanced Marathoning" it's important to read it first IMO.