The Maxted-Jones’ holiday plans are on hold for the next couple of months as they build up to this year’s Gloucester Marathon.

It is the second year that Andy and Andrea Maxted-Jones, who run TRiMax Events, have organised the 26.2-mile event, which this year also incorporates a half-marathon.

The two road races start at 8am on Sunday 6th August and begin and end in Gloucester Quays, with the organisers on target to attract 2,000 competitors for the events.

“It’s mainly closed roads,” said Andrea, “and apart from Wainlode Hill it’s nearly all flat so it’s a great course for PBs.”

It’s so fast, in fact, that Andrea believes it will prove to be the fastest half-marathon course in the country.

It’s also a good event for runners who want to take part in the London Marathon.

“Because we are licensed by UK Athletics, competitors can apply for the London Marathon based on their times in the Gloucester race,” Andrea said.

The Maxted-Joneses have been running TriMax Events for the past five years and are well known around Gloucestershire both for their running and their events.

While Andy runs for Almost Athletes, 39-year-old Andrea is a member of Gloucester Athletics Club.

They won’t, however, be taking part in either of the races on 6th August. “We don’t run in our own events because we’re too busy,” explained Andrea.

It means they do miss out on quite a lot of races because they certainly have a busy events diary.

That includes the Forest Warrior which is an obstacle course race run in the Forest of Dean in April.

They also run triathlons, 5Ks, 10Ks and mud runners.

“We also run the Seven Sins and the Mayhill Massacre,” she added.

So, what are they?

“The Seven Sins takes place in the Forest of Dean and is one of the most popular races,” said Andrea. “It’s been going for nearly six years and takes place between Christmas and the new year. It’s seven horrible muddy hills run over seven miles!

“It also incorporates the 14-mile Immortal Race which is for runners who want to come back again as well!”

And what about the Mayhill Massacre?

“That takes place at Mayhill, near Huntley,” she said. “It’s a mud run over nine miles in February. It’s really, really muddy and we get quite a lot of canicross entries where runners bring their dogs along as well.”

Andrea’s own sporting preference is for triathlons these days.

When she spoke to The Local Answer she was just about to go out on a training bike ride.

“I pretty much work full time on events and train in the mornings,” she said. “I’m part of a team from Cheltenham called Team Passionfit.

“I only took up triathlon five years ago but I race for Great Britain in age group triathlons. I used to be a full-time athlete.”

She also competes for GB in duathlon and clearly has an aptitude for the mixed discipline events.

“I was the powerman champion of Great Britain in 2014,” she said with justifiable pride. “That’s a run, bike, run. It’s even worse than the triathlon because there’s no swimming!”