Woman To Run In NYC Half-Marathon Thanks To 'Hip Resurfacing' Procedure

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Some of the world's top runners are in the city for Sunday's annual New York City Half Marathon, which will take them one loop around Central Park then down Manhattan's West Side to the Battery.

WCBS 880's Marla Diamond spoke with one runner who feared she'd be sidelined forever.

Laura Paulus of the Upper West Side jogged for 30 years before severe hip pain forced her off the road. As a spokeswoman for the New York Road Runners, she says it was a bitter pill to swallow.

Laura At L'eggs Mini Marathon in 1989. (credit: Laura Paulus)

"I never thought I would ever run a half marathon or a race of anywhere even close to that length," she said. "I was just in such pain."

The active 53-year-old found out she was a candidate for hip resurfacing, which preserves more bone than a traditional hip replacement. Dr. Edwin Su at the Hospital for Special Surgery performed the procedure on Paulus.

Laura at Runyon Canyon during a 9.5 training run for the NYC Half Marathon. (credit: Laura Paulus)

"I definitely am seeing more patients who are candidates for it, because of their activity level," he said. "People are coming in younger and younger."

Paulus managed to recover within weeks.

Laura at the NYRR Oakley Mini 10k in 2016 with daughter Zoe. (credit: Laura Paulus)

"More people should know about this, that this is something you can do," she said. "25 years ago, I would have been in pain the rest of my life."

Tomorrow she's running, and she's not looking back.