what started this - the catapult

Back in 2007 I was very overweight.  I was pre-diabetic, I had high cholesterol, I had a slipped disk in my back and I knew I was ageing very quickly.  I went to visit a friend who is just a few years older than I am. She was twice my size and could not walk the mall we were visiting.  I came back home and realized if I did not make a change I would be like her in a few short years.  I contacted a friend and asked him to help me make a change in my life.  To make a long story short he got me running and I dropped over 40 lbs in less than a year.  I was 43 and told everyone I felt like 34.  I was doing 5k's back them (3.1 mile runs) my best time was 28 minutes.  Then the most horrible thing imaginable happened. My nephew, who was just 9 years younger than me and more like a brother, was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident.  My whole world came tumbling down.  Food became my alcohol. I remember trying to think of meals that would make me feel better because most of the time I felt so bad.  Well it wasn't long before I gained all that weight back and for a while I didn't even really care.  But after a while I knew I needed to get my life back and gain control of my health again.  I needed to do something drastic so I decided to do a marathon.  As I sat there with the email confirmation to the Disney marathon I knew right away that I needed help. so I joined a training group.  I completed the marathon but still did not lose the desired weight. Come to find out I had a hormone imbalance that was preventing me from losing the weight.  However I was determined to fight for my health.  At the training camp I met Coach Mark Dirga.  He was to become a great influence in my life but had no idea how much at the time.