Quote Originally Posted by rocknrollgirl
I am not really fast, right now I run about a 9 min mile, but I am doing it. And I did 8 miles on race day, and felt great. And now I can run on the street too.
Not fast, but you can run a 9 minute mile? That's fast enough to me, especially for a non-runner with knee unhappiness! I can pace myself through a half marathon at about an 11 minute mile, and 5 miles at about a 10 minute mile, but not any faster just yet (it seems half the problem is just pacing yourself, which I am sure the stop-and-walk technique helps, especially early on!).

Doing some intervals is good for you anyway, whether you're doing it because you can't run the entire way, or doing it because you don't feel like running. In my morning runs, I try to change what I do each day, going between a tempo run, intervals (walk-jog-run), hill repeats (add one more each time), an easier day (focused on HR control and pacing), then a day off, then something more challenging (longer, cross-training, brick workouts, etc), then another day off, repeat. I get bored doing the same thing every day, and when I get bored I don't want to do it anymore, vicious cycle.

Cheers to you and your accomplishment! Good work!