The only thing worse than Running

I think I've found something I hate more than running.
The gym, or to be more accurate, the work out room..but they contain the same machines so the terms are interchangeable in my book. 
I've been having trouble with my knees the past week. I'm not sure what it is from exactly (the running, the excessive sitting I've been doing lately because it's finals and I spend 8 hours in front my my computer like it ain't no thang) but regardless, running+knee pain=lots more knee pain.
So today I decided to do the bike in the work out room in my apartment complex.
These types of settings will forever remind me of the episode of Full House where DJ thinks she's fat, stops eating and overworks herself at the family outing to the gym.

picture is compliments of this site I found, Every Episode of Full House Reviewed in Chronilogical Order that does, in fact, review every episode of the show!

I find stationary bikes, treadmills, ellipticals, the whole bunch of them to be incredibly boring and difficult to motivate myself to use them or really push myself.
I tried to channel my inner Dj Tanner and push it to the limit. I did 9 miles on the bike, but with no resistance so it didn't work my body the same as running.
I really just want to figure out how to prevent this knee pain from happening. I'm think I'm going to dabble in some remedies such as insoles or something and see if that helps.
As much as I despise running, stationary machines are even worse and I didn't even think that was possible.
Then again, when I go up north for winter break, I will likely have to figure an alternative since running in 20 degrees is probably going to kill me. Hmm.. After finals I'll put my thinking cap on a problem solve.
Until then, I guess it's stationary bikes and ice for my knee.