I’m so proud of myself. I’ve been working out at least 3 days a week for three weeks now (four times last week), and this is the 4th week. (I’ve actually gained weight, but I’m hoping it’s just because I’m regaining muscle mass from not being able to work out for a whole year more or less.)

So, I was down in the gym, stretching after a nice moderate half hour on the elliptical. Just my normal, everyday stretches, which include doing the splits after stretching all the muscles in my legs–which I’ve been able to do since dance team in high school.

I’m going down on the left side and suddenly something slips. And with that slip, something tore in the rear of my hip joint, right at the top of my hamstring, I think. Oh, I don’t know what that muscle is called. 

Ow. Ow ow.

I’m sure I pulled something. What do you do for that? Go sit on a bag of ice?

It’s not severe pain when I’m not trying to do anything with it, but when I try to stretch or move
it–like climbing stairs–it’s sudden and severe. Should I go to the doctor? Wait to see if it’s better tomorrow, then call if it’s still this bad? In all the years I’ve run, biked, swam, danced, and walked, I’ve never injured myself, so this is kind of new to me.