IBD and the Road Less Traveled — Moshe’s IBD Journey.
By Moshe Cattan
Hi, my name is Moshe, and over the past few years, I’ve used cycling as a powerful tool to manage life with IBD. It has helped me stay physically active while also providing a much-needed mental escape from the daily realities of living with a chronic illness.
My journey toward managing IBD began in November 2014 when I was 15. After spending most of my childhood dealing with ongoing gastrointestinal issues, I was finally diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Growing up, there were months when I had to be picked up from school with severe stomach pain, rushed to the ER in the middle of the night, and undergo repeated colonoscopies that showed nothing conclusive.
Then, in the summer of 2014, during a particularly severe flare-up, I developed a perianal fistula. My GI doctor performed a scope and discovered a disaster zone in my intestines. Fortunately, I didn’t require surgery, but I was prescribed a wide range of medications, including long courses of high-dose steroids. After getting a few second opinions, I was placed on infliximab, which I’ve been on in some form for the past ten years. It has helped keep my digestive system relatively stable. I recently switched to a biosimilar due to insurance changes (yay, insurance!), and so far, it seems to be working well.
Florida State Time Trial — April 2019
As for the fistula—it flares up whenever it feels like it. And yes, cycling with a fistula is a whole different topic. To keep it short: I use a TT saddle with a generous cutout, but there are times when I can’t ride for a few days.
Back to my story—during one of my overnight hospital stays that first year, a doctor doing rounds suggested I try running or cycling. I had always dreamed of running a half marathon, but being the Type A personality I am, I decided to go straight for a full marathon. In early 2016, I completed two full marathons and two halves. That quickly led to buying a bike, and before I knew it, I was doing triathlons. By the end of the year, I had completed my first half-Ironman.
Next, I set my sights on a full Ironman. I chose the first one I was eligible for after turning 18: Lake Placid—known as one of the most challenging courses in the U.S. Unfortunately, that same year, I developed stress fractures in my shins, likely due to osteopenia caused by the steroids I took early in treatment. I had to scale back the running and adopt a run/walk strategy, with a lot more walking than running.
Ironman Lake Placid — July 2017
Still, I was determined to finish the Ironman. I wanted to celebrate how far I’d come—from the lowest point in 2014 to living out the Ironman motto: Anything is Possible. Even if it took all day, I would prove to myself that no obstacle was too big. Sixteen and a half hours later, I crossed the finish line to hear Mike Reilly say, “Moshe Cattan, you are an Ironman!”
In the years that followed, I shifted my focus to cycling. I began racing local criteriums, completing multiple double centuries, and taking on epic adventures—including cross-country charity rides in 2019 and 2022. Most recently, in 2024, I cycled across France for the same cause and had the once-in-a-lifetime experience of watching a Tour de France stage pass by. Earlier this year, I also completed an unsupported ride from the top to the bottom of Florida—585 miles in four days—with two friends.
Climbing Mount Ventoux — July 2024
Cycling has become central to how I choose to live with IBD. Is it part of my identity now? Yeah, probably a bit (insert laugh here). But truly, I’m grateful to have found such a healthy outlet to manage a lifelong condition—especially knowing how easy it can be to slip into unhealthy patterns.
Finding Cory and Ride4IBD was a stroke of luck. I saw a Zwift ride supporting the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation in late 2021 and made sure to join. (My Zwift avatar still proudly wears the CCFA jersey.) That virtual ride was a personal wake-up call. Realizing that others with IBD shared my passion for endurance sports gave me a profound sense of community.
Living with IBD often means dealing with something that’s invisible to the outside world. But Ride4IBD has shown me that we don’t have to hide it—we can embrace it. I’m proud and grateful to be part of this incredible community.
Moshe riding for IBD
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