I prefer to run on thick grass, mountain bike trails, tracks, etc. for this reason. I don't have joint problems yet, but every time I run on pavement I can feel how hard it is on the body.

Uphills runs and stair-training are also significantly lower impact on the knees and hips, though both can be harder on certain muscle groups like hamstrings.

I recommend to everyone to find some winding, hilly mountain bike trails and go run on them. I could never get into running outside the context of team sports until I tried this; it's an absolute blast, especially if you have a background in sprinting.