Non-compete vs. Self-Employed

I signed a non-compete clause as part of "employment agreement" to be a "strictly commissioned employee" selling advertising. I want to go into business for myself, however, I fear the agreement will forbid me. One loop hole I am interested in, I never recieved a copy of the signed agreements as promised, and a different part of the agreement was violated by my employer. I also think that the geographic limitations of the agreements are not realistic, my old insurance agency ask for 2 years, but only 20 miles, my current employer wanted 40 miles. Is forty miles too much? Does such a clause prevent me from starting my own thing, or just from doing something with an existing competitor? Can I get out of it because I was never presented a copy? How dis-similar do our magazines have to be to comply with the clause? And what could be the result of an angry ex-employer who has suffered loss? I will not and have not used any information that isn't common knowledge, no need for customer lists, rates and contracts of no concern to me, we are really in two different leagues, same basic target market, any thoughts?