My First Workout Injury

So, just when I get all excited about it and decide to start posting about my awesome workouts... I get injured.

Well, it's not quite as bad as it looks.  I mean, my skin hasn't turned orange like Snooki, but it's still so disappointing. 

So, you might remember my WOW post on Wednesday.  I've gotten into my workout GROOVE finally.  I'm even tallying how many days I workout this year.  That was all before I hurt myself.  Here's how it happened.

Picture it:  Marriott Workout Room, 6pm

I started out my workout last night on the recumbent bike.  This is a new trick of mine when I'm traveling.  I take my iPad with me and catch up on all my favorite blogs while I'm biking about 11 mph.  Brilliant, right?  30 minutes is gone in NO time!

Afterward, I work my way over to the treadmill to walk and listen to music/watch TV for the next 30 minutes.  And, tonight was the night I had planned on doing my VERY FIRST OFFICIAL Couch to 5K workout.

I walked my first 5 minutes and ran my first 60 seconds.  Then, when I brought myself to a stop.  SOMETHING WAS PINCHING.  OUCH.  SOMETHING WAS OH-SO-HURTING in the hip area.  What the heck?  I continued walking until I got to 10 minutes on the timer and then I had to stop. 

Walking hurt, let alone running.  My first injury.

I did what any girl would do in my position, I text my besties with the news.  Angela immediately text back with stretching suggestions and even called me to walk me through the most amazing of stretches that "hurt-so-good."  A gymnastics coach, she's got experience helping the wounded... she diagnosed me as having an issue with my hip flexor.  Honestly, I didn't even know I had one.

(Source)

I took my ibuprofen, completed my stretching, and received my scolding for not stretching pre-workout.  I actually got that scolding from multiple people + the promise of stretching workouts that I should use in the future.  Good times.

Thankfully, I woke up this morning amazed that the pain had lessened (Thanks, Ang!) but knowing that it could NOT be a workout day today.  This pain must heal so I don't have other problems.  And, I've got to learn these new stretches that the ladies recommend.

Now, today has been tough.  Knowing fully that I was NOT going to workout tonight, I've felt so guilty about extra bites of food.  Example:  I had 2 potstickers in the concierge lounge tonight and a square o' cheese and an apple and I couldn't resist a sugar-free hot chocolate.  Normally, I wouldn't even stress on that due to working out adding more calories into my daily allowance.  Today, not a good idea (especially with a weigh-in looming.)

I'm hoping to be all back to normal by tomorrow.  Sigh.

The NTTC Lesson of the Day:  STRETCH pre-workout, people!  It's important!