If i stop during a run, is it still doing me good?

I have worked out a circular route of 5.88k which in many ways is perfect. Firstly, it's circular so I avoid the temptation to turn back early! Mainly though, it starts and ends in front of my sons' school, so (very shortly once the days are just a little longer) I will be able to go straight from work, run, and then pick them up from after school club. The time is tight, so getting anywhere else to run and then getting there to pick them up is pushing it a little. BUT, I ran it last week and although the 1st half is fairly straightforward (and a route I run a lot), the second 1/2 involves crossing a railway line (ie walking across the tracks - at a designated point, but clearly this involves stopping, taking headphones out, looking both ways etc) and crossing a fairly busy road 3 times as the pavement changes sides and it's not really suitable to run on the road itself. Each stop takes a bit of time (on one occasion I had to wait for quite a while to get across the road) and I would get my breath back etc. So, is it actually improving my running / stamina / fitness? Obviously I'll be burning calories, but do all the stops somehow ruin the 'training' aspect of it?

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