Did you labor before you had the c-section? I think that makes a big difference. I had an emergency C-section, so my body never went through any stages of labor. I was up and moving the morning after my section, and while I was "sore", it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. I wasn't even taking painkillers by the time I left the hospital.
I have friends who were in labor for hours, then had to have a c-section, and their recoveries were a lot harder than mine was.