Run and Chill · Munich
The Blog.
Practical, research-backed writing on running, injuries, recovery, nutrition and training. Written by the crew, grounded in the evidence, free of fad-diet noise.
Injuries All injuries →
Shin splints, runner’s knee, ITBS and the rest — what the research actually says about prevention and recovery.
Plantar fasciitis: load it, don't just rest it
Plantar fasciitis isn't really an inflammation, and resting it rarely fixes it. The tissue behaves like an overloaded tendon, so the evidence favours specific stretching plus progressive strength work. Here's the plan, and what's just for comfort.
IT band syndrome: why stretching the band doesn't work
Almost everything runners are told about a "tight IT band" is mechanically wrong: you can't really stretch it, and it doesn't rub over the bone. Here's the compression model that explains outer-knee pain, and the hip-and-cadence approach that actually helps.
Runner's knee (patellofemoral pain): what actually fixes it
Runner's knee almost never comes from one broken thing, and rest alone rarely fixes it. The evidence points to hip and knee strengthening, smart load management, and for runners, a small cadence tweak. Here's how it fits together.
Achilles tendinitis: the load-and-rebuild approach
Rest feels like the obvious cure for an angry Achilles. It usually isn't. The tendon gets better when you load it, carefully and progressively, with a bit of patience. Here's the evidence.
Shin splints: what causes them and how to actually heal
Shin splints almost never need total rest to heal. They need a clearer diagnosis, smarter load management, and a gradual rebuild. Here's what the research actually says.
Training All training →
Easy runs, intervals, long runs, strength. How to structure a week that actually works.
Strength training for runners: heavier, not lighter
Lifting won't bulk you up or blunt your endurance, it makes you a more economical, more durable, less injury-prone runner. The catch is that it has to be heavy and explosive, not high-rep and light. Here's what the evidence says and how to do it.
Easy runs: why running slow makes you faster
Running slow feels like it shouldn't make you faster, but it does. The pattern behind most strong endurance athletes is about 80 percent easy, and most of us run our easy days too hard. Here's why slow works, and how to keep easy actually easy.
Running form fundamentals: what actually matters
You don't need a perfect, textbook stride. But a couple of form tweaks, mostly around cadence and overstriding, have real evidence behind them. Here's what's worth your attention and what isn't.