2018 was the best year in the history of the women's marathoning. Coming into the year, only five women in history had ever broken 2:19 but six different women did it 2019.  Plus 11 times a woman broke 2:20 in 2018, the most in history.

It was a deep women's race as the top 7 all ran sub-2:23 with Assefa beatout out Haftamnesh Tesfay by just 11-seconds. On the men's side last year's runner-up Gezahegn beat out another former runner-up Martin Kosgey by just 4-seconds. Mark Kiptoo (6th place) broke the masters world record with 2:07:50. *MB: Sara Hall – Frankfurt Marathon prediction thread Hall ended up a DNF as Lindsay Flanagan took top American honors in a 2:29:25 PR.

HM WR holder Florence Kiplagat, Tokyo champ Birhane Dibaba and '14 Dubai champ Mulu Seboka are the favorites. The battle for top American is wide open as 42-year-old Deena Kastor goes for the US masters record (2:28:40) against 40-year-old US marathon champ Blake Russell and Sara Hall. Then there is ageless wonder, 58-year-old Joan Benoit Samuelson, who will try to run within 30 minutes of her 2:21 winning time 30 years ago.