Preseason running

My 32 week running season starts on February 19 and ends on September 29, at Bear Lake if everything goes right. My preseason running has been light on running because of various maladies. I strained my back at the end of December and just as I recovered from that I experienced some knee inflammation that was badly aggravated by running. For the past three weeks I've switched to weight training and chugging on the elliptical machines at a nearby gym. I'm doing 5 x 5s of squats, deadlifts, etc three times a week and 4-5 x 3 minute hard elliptical intervals once or twice a week. In between I've been walking briskly on the bike path or hiking on trails. I'd hoped to be actually running 6 hours a week by now, but am adjusting and getting some good workouts in. By February 19, I think I'll be able to take my interval workouts outside and switch from hiking to running without beating up on my knee.