i recently started running after having danced or swam for the rest of my athletic life. the guy who helped me knew the implications of this on my legs and helped me find shoes that could compensate for uneven leg development. he showed me some simple exercises to strengthen the muscles that the other sports never touched, and sent me on my way.
before i went in, i was having very bad shin splints and on the verge of giving up running all together. the shoes were exactly right - i have had NO shin splints since i switched - even when i was "breaking in new shoes".
some have commented on the price. however, anywhere you look, running shoes and gear are expensive. if you want to run in $15 shoes from walmart, you're going to feel it. taking the time and money to get real running shoes will make the difference.
this is one of those few places where you leave (having spent more money than you planned on) and still feel like you can conquer the world.