Using a physical inclined plane (literally just two slabs of wood nailed together to make a wedge) made a tremendous difference for my plantar fasciitis- as soon as I started, I felt an improvement within two weeks. In the year prior I tried the physical therapy recommended stretches, including jamming the heel against a wall and the one where you go on all fours and wrap the other foot around the ankle you're trying to stretch, and it made virtually no difference. If anyone reading this has recurring trouble with the plantar or calves like I did, definitely give the incline a try. I still have occasional arch pain, but now I can stand for lengthy periods at work without aching, as well as running without having to pull over and stretch. As I said on the first page, I had been sidelined for well over a year, and it's astounding how well this simple solution has worked.
By the end of last year I was nearing 200 pounds, but as soon as I moved closer to work and started walking (~40 minutes total each day) I dropped a belt size, and in early August I started running 4-5 times a week. Now I've dropped another notch, and my jeans are starting to droop. Danny Boy's right that running doesn't actually burn that many calories, but I definitely feel more active and cardiovascularly able than I did before.
cobl04, I don't know if this is still useful (it's been ~ 3 weeks since you posted), but when I try to pick up running after a long break my goal is simply to go for 30 minutes. 30 minutes without stopping is the ideal minimum distance for any day, but taking walking breaks when working up to it is preferable- I'm paranoid about overuse, and my mantra is that it's OK to leave myself wanting more. It's not until I get a few weeks in that I start trying to keep a constant 30 minute pace and more.