Oak, I got a fitting at the Newton tent and was fit for the Guidance Trainer, which offers more support than the minimalist shoe. I also attended a running clinic which helped a lot. I was told to wear them everyday for 7-10 days then start running gradually. I've been wearing them everyday for a week now and ran a 1/2 mile in them this morning. So far, so good. What I like most about them is that they offer a lot of support and cushion in the metatarsal area of my foot, where I need it most.

I think you will like the Illinois marathon. It's a good race with lots of support and it's flat. I've run the half at Illinois, St. Jude in Memphis, and St. Louis Rock N Roll and the Illinois was my favorite.