ADAM Hickey is gearing himself up for the toughest test of his career this weekend.

The Southend-based 30-year-old will line-up for Great Britain in the World Cross Country Championships in Denmark tomorrow.

And Hickey is fully aware of just how difficult it will be.

“I’m obviously excited about it and I’m looking forward to it too but this is definitely the toughest race I will have ever had in my whole career,” said Hickey.

“It goes without saying that the standard is obviously extremely high but the course is very tough too.

“It sounds more like an obstacle course than a cross country one and we have to run through a mud section, a sand pit and hills but I don’t mind that.

“I’ve been practising by running along the sea front and it will be good to test myself against the very best.”

Hickey, who made sure of his selection by winning the trials, also represented Great Britain as a junior.

But he is determined to better the results he achieved in his younger days.

“I think when I was a junior the best finish I had at world level was 46th so it would be great if I could do better than that this time,” said Hickey.

“A top 40 finish would be even better but I think the highest we’ve ever had is 31st so it’s difficult.”

However, Hickey is also keen to help Great Britain’s team finish as high up as possible.

“We don’t just run individually, we run as a team and I want to help us do well in that too,” said the former Southend High School pupil.

“We want to finish as high up as we can and if we could be the top European nation that would be great.”

Hickey has been joined in the Great Britain squad by Patrick Dever, Oliver Fox, Mahamed Mahamed, Ross Millington and Luke Traynor.

But he knows he will have to take things steady when pacing the 10k race in Aarhus.

“I have to make sure I don’t go off too fast,” said Hickey.

“If you do that you’ll pay the price and it’s pretty similar to trying to do the same when you race in Hadleigh.

“But I feel good and I’ve done some good runs at Center Parcs this week so I’ll be going there to give it my best shot.

“It’s going to be tough but cross country events normally are.”

>The World Cross County Championships will be shown, from 9.45am tomorrow, on the BBC red button, sport website and app.