Badass Jasmine Moezzi became ill while she was studying abroad as a college student. In the years since then, she’s discovered her love of triathlon, honed her craft, traveled for triathlons ranging from sprints to 70.3s, and received a variety of treatments for her now-chronic illness. In between treatments at a clinic in Cyprus, Jasmine talked with me about her Badassery.
Originally from southern California, Jasmine travels widely to compete in triathlons, choosing her goal races first and then rounding out the year’s calendar with concentrated periods of treatment and smaller races. A member of the IRaceLikeAGirl team, Jasmine is coached by Angela Naeth, an elite triathlete with Lyme disease. Jasmine describes the experience of working with her coach—including using heart rate training—and the preparations involved in traveling with a chronic illness.
While Jasmine had always been active, she’d not tried triathlon until after she became ill. During our conversation, she encourages aspiring triathletes to take the plunge, so to speak, and just get started in the sport, rather than waiting for the perfect time. She also emphasizes the importance of starting with the shorter triathlon distances, rather than getting caught up in the longest events.
One of the many features that makes Jasmine’s story unique is the different treatment paths her medical teams have tried. Jasmine speaks candidly about the importance of being open-minded when making treatment choices. She also shares how her physicians have come to consider the Epstein Barr Virus as the primary culprit in her illness, rather than Lyme.
Photograph by: Babak Ardalan
Podcast music by: Caleb Ritchie
Links from our discussion:
- Jasmine’s Instagram and Facebook
- Angela Naeth – website and Instagram
- IRaceLikeAGirl – website and Instagram
- Medical Medium*
- Vibram 5 Fingers*
- Born to Run* (*These are affiliate links; as an Amazon Associate, our nonprofit earns from qualifying purchases.)
To contact us about the podcast or your own Badassery, email podcast@chronicallybadass.org. And, for your daily dose of Badass athletes who are redefining what it means to be chronically ill, follow @chronicallybadassclub on Instagram and Facebook.