Well.. I finally got through W1 of C25K without injury. Let's see if I can keep uninjured.
On that note, is there any stretching/off day routines I should be doing?
Stretching is massively over rated and typically not conducted properly.
For most running there is no need to stretch, just start and end the runs slow so muscles warm up and at the end relax and can burn off any lactate.
My only exception is when doing dome speed work like intervals where i am putting my legs under s much higher stress and pushing ligaments/tendons closer to their limits. I do a few miles easy run, then do a warm up routine that includes dynamic stretching. raise knees to chest, kick heals back to buttocks, hold on to lamp post and swing legs, some over emphasized strides. This is mostly about preparing your legs to do a little extra hard work which you normally dont do in regular running. After a rub there is really no benefit in stretching.
Stretching is complex because there are a lot of traditions in sports & exercise but these dont have any scientific basis. and for the most part, science dhows these stretching regimes are counter productive.
As a runner, you will naturally develop stiffer legs, mostly from stiffer Achilles tendons. This is an important natural adaption that increases performance and reduces injury risk. Static stretching that increases flexibility can increase injury risk.
the only caveat is at times muscles can become overly tight due to accumulated training stress. This needs monitoring and if it doesn't fade with reduced training load then some forms of dynamic stretching can help, but mostly i find massaging the effected muscles and especially foam rolling is useful. When muscles are very tight then they also tighten tendons and then that can create issues such as piriformis syndrome or plantar fascitis.
At a high level, tendons and ligaments should be tight and you shouldn't purposely loosen them, certainly not with static stretching. The exceptions being after a bad accident/surgery etc where you suffered ligament damage and the ligament is unusually short or weak. You will need professional physio therapist work.
with muscles, tightness comes from your muscles repair after a hard workout such as a long run or intervals, this is DOMS. This will fade away naturally and early intervention will likely interupt your bodied natural repair process. You can help this process with a good diet, consuming carbs soon after the run, plenty of sleep. An active recovery would be a nice walk or easy cycle.
