Thank you to everyone for all of the advice—this is an awesome group!  I will try to keep all of your tips in mind. 

I do think the running is getting easier and I have kept with it.  I am still not running all that far, but that’s because I haven’t been exercising and am not in that good of shape.  It is so strange to be running over the red ants that used to always terrify me when I was walking in shoes.  There’s anthills all over the dirt road and they are milling around everywhere, but no problems!

Beth