LIVING WITH CHRONIC PAIN Living with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain
While finally having a diagnosis brought some clarity, it also came with difficult conversations about how her condition might affect her future. She was told that life would likely look different. That fibromyalgia could limit what she would be able to do physically. That managing her symptoms would require ongoing adjustments and compromise.
But Ellie’s journey since then has become a powerful example of what can happen when education, consistency, support, and self-belief come together. Managing fibromyalgia has involved significant trial and error. Following her diagnosis, Ellie worked through different medications and treatment approaches before finding a combination that helped her maintain a manageable baseline. Over time, she also began recognising the key triggers that worse.
Beyond symptom management, Ellie discovered that some of the most important tools for improving her quality of life were the everyday habits that supported her physical and mental wellbeing. Prioritising her mental health, maintaining regular physical activity, ensuring adequate recovery, and learning when to slow down all became essential parts of her routine.
Starting Running Again
One of the biggest turning points in her journey came in October 2024, when her physiotherapist and coach, Lleyton, encouraged her to start running.
At the time, it was something she had been hesitant to commit to.
Like many people managing chronic pain conditions, there was understandable uncertainty around how her body would tolerate it.
But after months of putting it off, she finally took the first step (quite literally), when Lleyton joined her for her first run since high school.
Building Towards Her First 10km Event
What started as a simple recommendation for long-term health and fibromyalgia management, quickly developed into something much more meaningful.
After a handful of runs, Ellie began setting goals for herself.
First it was building consistency.
Then it became running 10 kilometres.
In May 2025, she achieved that goal by completing her first 10km event at the Dementia Australia Memory Walk & Jog, where she also helped her family raise an incredible $4,600 for Dementia Australia.
REBUILDING CONFIDENCE How Running Changed Ellie’s Relationship with Exercise
The experience changed her relationship with exercise completely.
Running became more than just physical activity. It became an outlet, a source of structure, and a way to rebuild trust in her body. She found herself drawn to the mental clarity that running provided, the supportive running community surrounding her, and the measurable sense of progression that came from consistent training. Most importantly, running challenged the belief that her diagnosis had to define her limits.
For someone who had once been told that fibromyalgia would significantly restrict what she could and couldn’t do, every new distance and personal best became evidence that her body was capable of far more than she had once feared.
Strength and Conditioning for Running Performance
As her running progressed, her Physiotherapist Lleyton recommended she also consider committing to the Strength & Conditioning program at PEAK Sports & Spine Centre to accelerate her closer to her running goals.
The program entailed twice a week gym strengthening to build her resilience and capacity which went alongside a 3 day per week running program designed to get her to her goal time.
The addition of structured gym-based training became a major contributor to her continued improvement, not only in performance, but also in confidence and resilience.
She noticed a significant difference in her recovery after runs and overall power output.
Since beginning her Strength & Conditioning program in late 2025, Ellie’s running performance has improved dramatically. She completed her second half marathon in Ballarat in an impressive 1hr 49mins and 30 secs, achieving a personal best improvement of 7 minutes and 44 seconds.
Learning the Value of Consistency
A significant part of that improvement came from embracing a more structured and disciplined training approach.
Like many runners, Ellie initially found the prescribed slow and easy runs frustrating.
However, over time she began to see the value in them, with noticeable improvements in endurance, recovery, and cardiovascular efficiency.
Her average heart rate dropped significantly, highlighting just how effective consistent aerobic conditioning had become.
Alongside her running program, Ellie now strength trains twice per week and enjoys the consistency, accountability, and progression that come with structured coaching.
Seeing improvements in strength alongside running performance has further reinforced her confidence in what her body can achieve.
- Improved endurance
- Better recovery
- Lower average heart rate
- Increased confidence
- Consistent strength training
- Structured coaching support
Perhaps one of the most meaningful shifts has been her mindset toward training and health.
Exercise is no longer something that she simply tries to fit into a busy week when possible.
It has become a non-negotiable priority, not only because of her performance goals, including her upcoming first marathon at the Gold Coast Marathon, but because of how positively it impacts every aspect of her life.
Her journey has not been without setbacks.
Since beginning running, Ellie has also navigated an ongoing foot injury that first appeared before her first half-marathon and has recently resurfaced.
Like many runners, she has had to learn the balance between pushing toward goals and respecting recovery when needed. Importantly, these challenges have not stopped her momentum. Instead, they have become another opportunity to learn, adapt, and continue building long-term resilience with the support of her healthcare team.
Ellie’s story highlights something incredibly important about chronic pain and long-term health conditions: a diagnosis does not automatically determine someone’s future potential. Fibromyalgia remains part of her journey, but it no longer defines what she believes she is capable of doing. Through education, movement, structured training, and the support of a multidisciplinary team, she has gone from struggling with chronic pain and fatigue to chasing marathon goals and achieving personal bests she once never imagined possible.
THE BIGGER PICTURE Progress Does Not Always Happen Linearly
At PEAK Sports & Spine Centre, we are incredibly proud to support Ellie through every stage of her journey so far. Her story is a reminder that progress does not always happen perfectly or linearly, but with consistency, guidance, and belief, incredible things can happen.
We would love to support you choose your pain and help you reach your goals, so book an appointment with one of our friendly healthcare professionals.
Let's get started — How can we help?
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Hawthorne
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