cdnjimbo - Cheers for you comments, couldn't agree more!
Let it beat you and it will!
There is such a close link with this horrible disease with the state of the mind and emotions of the sufferer and the amount of activey within.

Positivety of mind and attitude towards the disease in my case has been the best medicine I can ever have! Symtoms never seem as bad or such an issue after a training session because it has given me the opportunity to focus my mind away from the underlying issue, you also get the obvious physical effects of better health and an endorphin release.
On the days when the beast inside rears it ugly head(great description BTW),training or not, if I let the negativetity and self pity take over then symtoms immediately worsen and cripple me for longer. Where as like you said with rest and a positive attitude I feel better immediately and recovery is quicker.
The modern disease STRESS(however that menifests in an individuals life) will cause an almost immediate reaction in the any healthy bowel. How often do you hear phrases such as
"it made me sick to my stomach"
"I was shitting/crapping myself"
"it was a real pain in the arse"
"my stomach was in knots"
All associated with stressful situations. Bowels are one the first areas in the body to react to stress. Add stress to an IBD and its no wonder that symtoms appear. Not the cause of the disease but an awful mixture!