I decided to try the elliptical instead of treadmill for the lower impact of it. My shins feel great, I was able to go for longer, and my only complaint has to do with my own gangliness on the machine. My stride could be smoother. Now, I won't replace the treadmill with the elliptical because I don't want to do only elliptical and then have problems trying to run an actual no shit race, but it's great for days when my legs aren't up to par. Also, I have that pleasant ticking sensation in my quads and hams that says I worked them to a happy exhaustion. Fantastic workout.