https://medium.com/runners-life/how-to-start-running-using-j...

I've had good success with this strategy - it breaks up the monotony of long runs, and overall pacing is accomplished by changing interval duration instead of trying to maintain a precise fixed speed over the entire run.

Unfortunately, I've had no success convincing other beginners to try this method, as the predominant wisdom is that you have to run over the entire duration, and beginners almost always go far faster than they should.