Elliptical ambivalence

I like you, but as a friend

Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes

I went on the elliptical this morning for a change of pace and was once again surprised by the depth of the workout you can get from this machine. For some reason I think of the elliptical as my "easy workout", a break from the pavement pounding of my daily run. But it's really just as hard, if not harder. Running probably does focus more work toward your legs, but overall, I'm not sure that it yields a higher fitness return than the elliptical workout.

I know that when I'm finished on the elliptical machine I'll have the same elevated heart rate as I do after a run. It also generates a lot more sweat since I'm indoors and staying in one place. On the plus side, my knees, hamstrings and glutes usually feel less sore throughout the day, compared to an equivalent run. This is probably because it's a lower impact workout. Does this mean I'm going to increase my frequency on the elliptical at the expense of running? Not likely. Until I can figure out how to get the X-1 to work on the trails, I'll be staying with plan A.