ADAM Hickey proved he has put a frustrating few months behind him by clocking the fastest five-mile time in the country.

The 24-year-old ran 23m 36s to win the Victoria Park Five, joining an illustrious list of former winners that includes south Essex distance stars Rob Denmark and Hickey’s coach Eamonn Martin.

The win has convinced Hickey that he has overcome the Achilles injury that has bothered him since the turn of the year and has set him up for another good summer on the track.

“Eamonn said beforehand that I would run sub 24 minutes,” said Southend AC athlete Hickey.

“I wasn’t too sure though. I hadn’t raced over five miles since 2008 when I was 18. I ran 25m 12s then and I remember how hard that felt!

“The plan was to not go off too hard and just sit in, which is something I don’t always do. But after 200m I realised I was feeling really good and went to the front.”

Having made the move, the only runner who could match Hickey’s pace was Woodford Green’s Matthew Gunby, but he fell away on the second of the two laps as the Southend AC athlete pushed on for victory.

“Normally going to the front is a bit naive,” said Hickey. “But I was feeling good and felt good all the way round.

“I went through half-way in 11m 45s and was worried I might blow up but it felt good.”

The time and victory is a boost to Hickey who says he has wife Katie to thank for picking him up when his Achilles injury meant he had to take nearly two months off from training in January and February, just after he won his first senior Great Britain vest at the Great Edinburgh Interational.

“I was pretty down and Katie is good at motivating me,” he said. “I was pushing quite hard before racing in Edinburgh, but I wanted to run there because you never know when an opportunity like that is going to come around again.

“But I jarred the Achilles on the first lap in that race and that meant I was pretty much out throughout January and February.”

Hickey will now turn his attention to the track season, with his first race scheduled to be a 3,000m at the Watford Open on Wednesday.

And after a fine season last year which saw him break PBs from 1,500m up to 5,000m, he wants to kick on again.

“I’m hoping to get some PBs early on in the season,” he said. “The main aim is to break eight minutes for 3,000m and to go under 13m 50s for 5,000m. Plus, it would be nice to get the 1,500m time down further.”

l Adam Hickey has thanked Kieran Mote, from Leigh-based Results Sports Therapy and Runners Edge in Southend for supporting his running.

l MIKE Briggs led a trio of Benfleet RC athletes home at the Victoria Park Five in a personal best time of 27m 21s.

Paul Ruffy also set a personal best time of 29m 53s, while Michael Cerny clocked 34m 51s.