Alas, poor heart!

Alright, you bloggers who have inspired me (K, K :)...I have decided I am going to start running again. I am starting on a regimen where you warm up with a 10 minute walk, and then alternate running for 30 seconds and walking for 30, doing that for 20 minutes and then a 5 minute cool-down walk. In doing that your heart rate increases slowly but more steadily. Gradually you increase jog time (upgrade to 1 minute running, 30 seconds walking, 1:30 running, 30 walking, etc.). Eventually I want to be able to do 10 miles without stopping. I can feel my poor heart screaming for more activity.

My problem with running has always been running outside--it's so hard on the shoes, knees and back. There's a gym with treadmills where I'll be living in less than a month, and those are both shoe-friendly and aren't so hard on the knees or back. So I am also in the shoe market--any recommendations? Many sing the praises of Asics? I am clueless in the art of shoe-choosing.