KENYAN Edwin Korir hailed the best result of his career after winning the inaugural Plusnet Yorkshire Marathon.

Korir clocked two hours, 13 minutes and 31 seconds to win yesterday’s race in York, while compatriot Helen Koskei was the first woman to finish in two hours, 40 minutes and 11 seconds.

Korir said: “It’s the biggest race of my career. I hope to be back next year. The course was very nice. It was a bit windy, but it was okay.”

The first York runner home was 35-year-old Dennis Speck, of Haxby, in ninth place. The York Acorn Running Club member, competing in his 15th marathon, clocked a personal best time of two hours, 39 minutes. “It was hard at the end, but I dug in,” he said.

Harrogate’s Mike Burrett, 37, representing Leeds City Athletic Club, was the first Yorkshireman to finish. He said: “It was really tough and the hill at the end was the sting in the tail.”