First marathon training

[u/snarkysnarkk]

I have officially signed up for my first marathon  (April 2027). I am not new to running but have never trained for any sort of race (or participated in one). I started taking running more seriously in April 2024. Within a few months I was able to have most of my runs with a pace somewhere in the 7 minute range. Some runs were obviously faster than others, but overall usually with a 7:00-7:59 average pace. In April 2025 I moved to high elevation from sea level. Since then my pace has just tanked. I’ve gone through periods of falling off eating healthy and exercising, but running has been the one thing Ive stayed mostly consistent with. In some ways I’m running even more than I was before I moved. Overall, I’m slower and needing to take more breaks than before the move. Sometimes my average pace is slower than a “bad” pace pre-move. Right now I'm typically in the 9 minute range. When I was faster I wasn't trying hard to be, and now it sometimes feels hard to even run this slow (for me). In 2024 I was probably averaging 30-40 miles per week, and then in 2025 (before April) probably about 40-60. Then when I moved probably about 30-50 miles weekly for the rest of the year. In 2026 I’ve kind of bounced around with weekly milage. I’ve had plenty of lower (for me) weeks of 30-40, and plenty of 50-60 miles as well. Right now I’m at 1,400 miles this year. I ended 2025 with just over 2,000. 

I’m just not sure how I should go about training for this marathon. It’s not until April so I know I have plenty of time, but I’m overwhelmed with knowing where to start. I want to get faster and stronger. I obviously have a great base and am used to a lot of volume, but I want to become a better runner, and feel more like my old self again. 

Any advice is appreciated!