Also, what difficulties might i expect to encounter especially as the little air I do take is normally assisted by the spd’s.
If you don’t keep your weight/COG central you will either be thrown from the bike or it will fly off down the trail without you. Your foot is going to have to be in a different position – with the axle under the arch of your foot rather than under the ball – and you’ll need to learn/relearn how to apply your body weight to the pedals.
I’d recommend some thin flats, like Wah-Wahs or Nanos as they feel more like you’re part of the pedal rather than being stood on top of it (DMR V8/12s, for example, are quite tall); if that makes any sense?