Coping with exercise routine-derailing injuries

[cortcase]

I've gotten up at 5:40 every day this week to go swim, because I hurt my knee running May 14, and it's driving me CRAZY. I feel flabby and gross, and I'm desperate to return to running, elliptical, etc. Whereas I once was a swimmer (like 15 years ago) because I hated to sweat, I now MISS sweating!

I've been toying with the idea of adding swimming into my routine, but on a periodic basis, and voluntarily, not because I HAD to! I'm so bitter, and I know I'm being a control freak, but it just really frustrates me. I feel like I'm losing ground and I've worked so, so hard to get here. I work out seven days a week — aerobics on Saturday, running, elliptical, arc, weights on other days. So this is incredibly frustrating to me.

Anyone else out there in the same boat?

Grr!

[oldpjams]

My training load averages just under 20hr/week. Several times in recent years I've been injured and had to scale back or stop for a period of time. It's true that you lose your edge very quickly but it comes back fairly quickly as well. The bright side is that it shakes things up and forces you to do things differently so that when you go back to a more normal training program you will see great results.