2 days ago
Wicklow pharmacist finds joy in retirement after putting on her running shoes
Having stepped down from her role at McCabe's Pharmacy in Bray after 21 years of service to her community, local resident Liz Hipple hoped to maintain her support for Purple House, which raised more than €10,000 for the charity at hugely popular coffee mornings in the Main Street pharmacy.
An avid walker, when it was proposed to Liz that she take up running in her retirement, she decided it would be a great way to keep fit and active, while raising funds, and set her sights on running next year's Dublin Mini-Marathon in aid of Purple House.
As chance would have it, the perfect opportunity to dip her toes into the world of distance running presented itself when she was planning a trip to Canada to visit her cousin, who asked Liz to join her for a charity run for mental health in Burlington, Toronto.
As Liz explained, the thought of running 5k, having no previous experience of running or ever having even bought a pair of running shoes, was daunting, but she decided to take the event head on, and surprised herself by coasting across the finish line in a time of 42:06.
'I used to do the Purple House coffee morning every year, and I was thinking about what I could do to keep that going after retiring last March,' Liz said.
'So I just said to myself, one day, I'm going to take up running because that means I can run the marathon to drum up funds for Purple House.
'I was due to visit my cousin Shannon in Canada last month, and they rang me and asked me if I would participate in this charity run over there. I was a bit scared when I got over there, as I had planned on doing a 3k, but signed up for the 5k.
'I'm a walker, but I've never really run at all, so it was a saving grace when I went to my cousin's house and they had a treadmill, so I started on that straight away. I even bought my first pair of running shoes over there, and they were like a dream!
'When the run started, my cousin, who is super fit, and I started together, and then said we'd meet at the end,' she continued.
'I couldn't believe how well it went, to be honest. I ran it all in 35c and it was a breeze, and I wasn't even out of breath.
'There was a $100 entry fee, and 1,200 took part, which is a substantial amount, so I was proud to be part of that.'
Now back on Irish soil, Liz said that the experience has filled her with the drive to prepare for next year's mini marathon, and is hoping to enlist the support of friends to join her training and on the big day.
Reflecting on her newfound passion and what she wants to get out of her retirement, Liz said that the last few months have opened her eyes to the endless possibilities before her, while reminding her that one door closing so often leads to another opening.
'There is definitely life after retirement, and by helping others with some of our free time, it can be very rewarding,' Liz said.
'For me, I was afraid I'd get lazy in my retirement, but I had always planned to continue the fundraising for Purple House, so I suppose I had that goal in mind and something to focus on.
'I suppose, that's the joy you can get from retirement, having time to add something to your life. For me, it's always been about giving back to the community, so I have my sights set on next year's mini-marathon for Purple House, and I'll give myself that year to train up.
'Because I'm older, I wasn't expecting to be able to do anything very fast, but I'm delighted with how the run in Canada went, and it just makes me want to do more,' she added.
'I've been asking some of my friends to participate in the mini-marathon, and they said they might, so we may start running together coming into the winter months.
'I know my son is going to be a huge influence on me, as he took up running a few years ago, and he's doing the full marathon in October.
'I'm all in on it now, though, and I'm sure you'll see me doing a few laps of the promenade in Bray over the coming months!'
