<human>: I am not a minimalist shoe runner.  (are Nike Frees considered minimalist???)  However, I really want to be but not 100% positive that I can be.  

Generally, I do not like Nike running shoes.  I have really high arches and they just don't feel good on my feet when I run.  When I tried on the 4.0s I fell in love. Not only w/the feel, but the look as well :)

 I have gone through quite a lot of brands/styles of shoes to find my dream running shoe.  I bought my GelLyte 33s on the day they came out at the store. I ran 14 miles next day. No breaking in needed. No pain. No blisters. Perfect run that day...
Yesterday, I ran a short 4 mile (all flat - no hills) in the 4.0s and felt pain in my shin and in lower calf somewhat.  I have NEVER had shin splints while running, even when I just started out running. 

How can I transition to these Frees without getting shin splints.  When I ran this morning in my asics, I could still feel pain in my lower shin/calf from the test run yesterday, but only after a couple of miles. 

Should I just try them out 1/2 mile or 1 mile at a time, until I get used to them? Is there anyway to tell if I am even capable of being a minimalist shoe runner, even possibly leading to becoming a barefoot runner.

Give me the gist of the text in a nutshell
<bot>: have shin splints after 4 mile run, want to learn how to transition to (somewhat?) minimalist shoes while running.