ADAM Hickey dipped below 30 minutes when winning the Southend 10k for the 11th time on Sunday.

Hickey sped to victory in 29 minutes and 58 seconds.

And the Southend AC athlete was delighted to finish in under half an hour.

“I was really chuffed to finish the race in under 30 minutes which had been my target,” said Hickey.

“It’s the first time I’ve managed to do it in the Southend 10k.

“The course has changed quite a bit during the years but it was good to do it, even though I had to go flat out right at the end to make sure it happened.

“I didn’t run with a flat and decided to just run hard the whole way round.

“There was a pace car in front of mine and so I knew that at 9km I was slightly behind target.

“However, lucky enough I was able to get it back at the end.”

Hickey finished ahead of Paul Whittaker (31.04) and Tom Frith (32.29) in a Southend 1-2-3.

And his latest triumph came in testing conditions.

“The wind between 5k and 9k was probably the strongest I think I’ve ever run in,” said Hickey.

“Only the Great South Run has come close to matching it and it made the time even more pleasing.”

Hickey will now step up in distance to run the Manchester Half Marathon a week on Sunday.

>Southend’s Rhys Gillard finished eighth with 35.01 at the weekend and in 11th was V40 Lee Taylor (35.28).

Former Southend member Ashley Humphreys clocked 35.24 for 10th and under 17 Sam Norris finished an astonishing 23rd place in 37.34.