HIIT-how often do you do it and how?

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I was all pumped to go to the gym so I could do HIIT using an exercize bike. My car wouldn't start. I'd walk to the gym, but it is 10 miles away. I'm not that hard core-yet!LOL So I decided I'd do interval running. At the first get out, I realized I hadn't stretched my dquads very well and they didn't just go "Hey, slow down" they went "WTF???!!!" So I came home.
So-does anyone have a way to do REAL HIIT at home? Like is running HARD in place enough to get your blood pumping how it should?
And, if you do it at the gym, do you use a machine, do you HIIT with weights, etc?