Go slower, allow your musculature to adapt. The aerobic system adapts quickly and then beginners go farther or faster to “feel” the same challenge but the musculature adapts more slowly and then injuries occur.

I had some knee pain issues (likely caused by ITBS) last year when I increased my running frequency. Not wanting to rest for more than a few days, I'd still go running and then just reduce to a walk when the pain became unbearable.

I researched and found a few helpful tips that helped eliminate the problem. One was to correct my running form. Overstriding will kill your knees; don't let your upper body lean back from your lower body. Your body should be vertically aligned, head to foot, with each landing (though a slight forward tilt of your torso is fine). Another tip is to incorporate lower body strength exercises. Lastly, be sure to do stretches after (at least half of) your runs.

These days I run almost daily and experience no knee pain. At my current rate I'm on track to finish 2000 miles for the year.

Damage from running, while not unusual, is not the default. Running does not wear out the knees long term.

Try going for shorter distances, at slower speeds, with less hills, more often.

Make sure that you have 2-3 rest days per week for the first 60-90 days, then it’s okay to start ramping up by adding 10% more miles per week.

Fix your form and/or weight. Unless you’re doing technical trails or sprinting knees should never have any issues

Everyone has had good points about conditioning, but I'm surprised no one has said it yet - fresh running shoes. I go through a pair each year. Until your body has adapted it's very important to have a good pair of supportive but cushioning shoes.

I have the strictly opposite advice to recommend. Ditch the cushioning completely. I had stress injuries every year until swapping to barefoot shoes, and have experienced none since. It changed my gait and allowed my stabiliser muscles to actually function. Could not recommend it enough.

Were you experiencing knee pain? It could be possible you were at a level were your tissues were adapted enough to able to accept that additional straing. And I would stress that works for you probably won't for others - as a few counter examples, Mr Sorokin was wearing shoes with cushions during his run, and other elite runners who grew up running shoe-less, such as Haile Gebreselassie, run with shoes.

I wouldn’t say it’s a given that running torches your knees - mechanics, flexibility and musculature make a big difference.