My word of advice would be to take your time. If the furthest you can run is 10k at present, running a marathon in the next few months isn't really going to be fun and you'd be lucky to get to the start line without getting injured. The marathon distance is often looked at as the pinnacle event & there's a growing attitude that you have to run the marathon distance to be considered a "real runner", which is absolutely not true. You don't have to run a marathon to be a "real runner". Social media has made the marathon distance look somewhat "easy" and it absolutely is not at all - it's HARD, and if your body isn't conditioned for it its going to be a miserable experience. It is so much harder than a half and the training as well as the race itself absolutely wrecks your body if you aren't meticulous with your approach to nutrition, sleep & recovery. There was a study done by the National Library of Medicine in 2022 on first-time marathon runners training for the NYC marathon - 10% of them got injured so badly in training they couldn't even run the race and a further 49%!!!!! of people got injured enough during training that it meant they had to take time off running. That's 6 in 10 people getting some form of injury. It's a lot if your body isn't conditioned to it!

If you're dead set on doing it then I'd recommend building your easy weekly mileage up for the next 3 or so months to be consistently running 4-5 days a week (I'd say 4 at the bare minimum for a marathon), and comfortably running 45-50k a week. All easy mileage if you're a newish runner. From there follow a 16 week beginner training plan to build you up t the marathon distance. Something like Hal Higdon Novice 1 will do the trick.

Hal Higdon plans are really good. He has an app called run with Hal. I used his plan for my first marathon. Highly recommend. You should start working on increasing your weekly mileage and perhaps do a half marathon first.

First timer at week 9 in training for a may marathon here so no actual tips on completing a marathon yet lol but I would definitely recommend following a structured training plan, the internet is full of them, some better than others but either way you'll need a plan.

I'm doing the Hanson Marathon Method, read the book first and I have to say, I'm seeing huge improvement in my endurance and general running. It's 6 days a week which is a big commitment but well worth the effort from what I have seen so far

I just ran a marathon last week. I used a Hal Higdon plan. While I finished, I missed my (very reasonable) goal by 20 minutes. I was hurting by mile 18 and miserable 21-23. I think this is pretty normal for a marathon, but next go round I will be trying a new plan.

Hal higdon novice 1 plan is what I've followed for the last 20 ish weeks since my first half marathon. My first marathon is Sunday. Plan has been great. Running 4x a week

I’m a shift worker. You won’t be able to just pick a plan and follow it, they’re all cookie cutter with long runs every Sunday. I write my own to fit in around work. Have a look at beginner plans to give you an idea of what runs are needed. I always put my long run on a day off, then try best I can to space out workouts and easy runs it can be a challenge some weeks! Bit early to be training for a time, need to see how the running goes 1st. Most training plans assume you have a base mileage of 20-30 miles per week so I would suggest getting to that before starting if you aren’t there already.

(2) general estimation to go by: 5 x 10k time minus 10 mins. Since it's your first marathon, expect 4:30 - 5hr (estimate) (3) a few -- ramp up mileage gradually, strength train, listen to your body, rest/hydrate/stretch plenty. (1) assuming you have limited flexibility due to shift work, you could try 3 runs per wk type of programs (tweak them per your needs). E.g., Hal Higdon Marathon 3 or https://www.furman.edu/first/wp-content/uploads/sites/168/2020/01/The-Three-Day-Marathon-Plan.pdf

I chose a Hal Higdon plan for my first marathon, but tailored it to fit my life. And that's significant - in a fit of enthusiasm, don't commit to a plan that asks for more than you can realistically deliver. Don't commit to 5 runs a week when realistically you can only do 4 - it's just setting you up for negative thoughts as you fall behind the plan, and marathon training is tough enough without setting yourself up to fail. Any published plan is just a guide, and the run days are not written in stone. Provided you follow the principles and mileage of the plan, then you can adjust it however you need to fit in around your work and other commitments.

As for a target time, 4:15 to 4:30 would seem a reasonable guide, although this is something you should constantly monitor and be prepared to adjust. As you go through the training you will get quicker, to the point you will most likely smash your current best times, so make sure to book onto a 10k and a half-marathon during the programme, because they will really give you a good guide as to what you can expect to achieve over the full distance.

Hal Higdon Novice 1 is a great first plan. It will get you to the finish line.

I’ve read Hal Higdon’s book and Hanson Marathon Method and am just starting Pfitzinger’s book. Hal Higdon’s is the most approachable. Especially if you haven’t trained for a half marathon before. It’s probably the best option if your goal is to just finish. If you read it and feel like it’s just not enough then get Hanson’s or Pfitzinger’s books.

Follow one of the many beginner plans that have helped so many people already. You’re not going to figure a better plan on your own.

https://www.halhigdon.com/training-programs/marathon-training/novice-1-marathon/

I'd like to see those studies that show running four days a week is more effective than running six days a week.

As a beginner, it's probably best to shop around for an existing training plan that works for you.

You should not be trying to run 27 miles in training. Your article you linked suggests running 18-20 miles as your farthest long run and most training plans have that as well

I ran a very similar program my first marathon because I only had 12 weeks.

If you have more time I recommend a novice or intermediate Hal Higdon plan

How much are you running now? If the answer is none this plan is a disaster and will likely lead to injury. Most marathon plans start out at 16 weeks and go up to 20. 12 is pretty short for a marathon, even more so without a solid running background.

I'm trying to figure out who this plan is written for. Twelve week marathon training plans are for frequent marathoners who run 3-4 full marathons/year. For everyone else, marathon plans run from 16-24 weeks. But this 12 week plan is not written for an experienced marathoner as it only has four days/week of running instead of the typical 5-6 days, it's light on total weekly distance, and includes no speed work faster than marathon pace. There are also weeks in this plan where the long run is more than 50% of the total weekly distance, a prescription for injury.

need more longer runs

This plan looks horrendous. Especially. If you’re starting with no base.

I’ve also been considering the Hal higdon intermediate 1 for my first marathon in September as I have a similar background and stats to you(though my PR’s are slower than yours). I think all of the Hal Higdon plans look solid but keep getting hung up on the plan outline for intermediate 1 that says it is for people that have run a couple marathons in the past. Makes me think maybe the novice 1 or 2 is a better fit for my first but I’m stubborn in that I have been casually running (mostly in the 5-10k and half marathon type distance) for several years and feel I have a decently solid starting foundation. I’ve started down the intermediate 1 while leaving the door open to moving down to one of the novice plans later on if needed. Also if you start with the Hal higdon plan it gives you some suggested workouts leading up to the training block and then assesses your performance in those workouts to determine the right plan for you. Since you have 5 ish months to race day it might be best to just get started now using the app and see what the app recommends for you after it has assessed your baseline. Im also curious your reasoning as to why the intermediate 1 over the Novice 1 or novice 2 as it sounds like you’ve done your research.

With your times and base mileage and background, your 3:30 goal seems pretty reasonable. And I think you could look at the Pfitz 18/55 plan to get you there. With what you've said, I think you could handle it.

Hal Higdon beginner and intermediate plans are a great place to start.

M58 here. 12 marathons in 12 months. You do realize everything marathon runners do is crazy!!! It's unavoidable.

I used one of Hal Higdon's plans to run my first marathon, worked well for me.

Second Hanson’s/Luke and second modifying it. Used a Boston plan out there that maxed at (I think) 70 but I’ve adapted it with more higher mileage LR’s because I’m old and need that to hit younger dude paces in the race. What I like about it most is that it is very straightforward. I looked at Daniels too but that’s just way too complicated for me. My little modified plan has gotten me in sub 3 shape 3 years in a row now so I’ve no reason to change it yet. Now if only race day will cooperate!

Pfitz plans are like magic for me. I love that the training isn't hyper polarized and allows for a range of intensities depending on what's scheduled. Some days are almost insultingly easy, other days are intense enough to make me taste copper when I'm done with the last rep. But there are runs in between with naturally easy and moderate efforts as well as longer submaximal workouts. Most importantly, I love that the long runs aren't slow. The long slow run is great for time on feet if you're new to the distance, but I think you have to get used to running them a little bit faster if you have time goals. Incorporating increasingly longer MP segments is helpful too. It gets you used to holding race pace for longer stretches and really helps from a psychological perspective.

I'm using the 18 week 85mpw plan for Boston in the spring. I don't think I'd recommend them to someone who's doing their first marathon or anyone whose goal is just to finish, but they've been great in helping me work towards time goals.

It's gonna be my first time using it for a race in May. I've extended my base training into the first 5-6 weeks of the plan. I'm on one of the base plans from Pfitz' Faster Road Racing that takes me to 72km (55miles?) and I hope it helps before things get tough.

I would say it is achievable. Compared to other plans it is very low mileage. I was really skeptical at first but I was curious, so I tried it out for my 5th marathon. PR'd with a sub3 BQ time.

The key take for me is that you need to find a plan that fits in around your lifestyle and not the other way round. Why chose a plan that requires 6 days a week when your lifestyle means you only have 4 days free - you're just making something tough even harder, and setting yourself up to struggle mentally as you get down on yourself for missing sessions.

I started on the Hal Higdon Intermediate, but I tweaked it to suit my circumstances (low mileage runner, club training nights, local races etc). And then I amended it after each marathon as I learned what worked for me. You probably woudn't recognise it as a Hal Higdon plan now.

To be honest it really isn't as complicated as people seem to think. Build up slowly, include some speedwork, do a couple of warmup races, taper properly, eat and drink sensibly.

You’re probably physically a beginner, but you have the mental down which is that hardest part. 

Run a 5K and use your stats to figure out where you’re body is at. 

Your body, joints, bones, and ligaments are definitely "beginner". Your cardio might be in decent shape, but your body needs several months to adapt to hitting the ground with force again, something you're not doing with cycling. I'd recommend you start slower and with lower mileage than you want and give your body time to ramp up. As a former athlete, you're going to want to match the stats you had in high school ASAP but if you can set that vanity aside, you're going to have a much more sustainable path to your race.

Hardest part will be putting the paces of yore aside long enough to build your back to competition with minimal injuries. The positive side is that you already know the difference between “training” soreness and “starting to injure yourself” soreness. Good luck!

16 months is a long time. I'd recommend spending 6-8 months gradually and comfortably getting yourself up to running 90 minutes continuously. Most training plans aren't gonna be longer than 4-6 months anyway, so you'll have plenty of time to figure out which plan is right for you or what other training you can do in the interim before you pick a plan.

Kate Eli has some great info swipes on IG, and she's a great resource for endurance x nutrition questions!
This one on how many miles per week for race distance

This one for daily carbs for endurance athletes

Intracarb run ideas

Running coaches should not be giving out individualized nutrition plans or "macro" goals and I'd be side-eyeing anyone who did something so out of scope.