Word of the Year for 2025- CONSISTENCY
As is tradition, we take a moment during the closing days of one year and the opening days of the next to reflect on how things went, what we want to accomplish, and how we’re going to make it all happen.
Before I dive into the theme for Catalyst in 2025, let’s take a quick victory lap and celebrate the accomplishments of Catalyst athletes and Catalyst Multisport this past year.
A Year of Wins
As a group, we had our most successful year to date! We cheered on many athletes as they competed in and finished their first triathlons. Others leveled up by tackling longer distances and absolutely smashing their goals. Along the way, we celebrated several overall race wins and countless age-group podium finishes.
Highlights? Two athletes qualified for and raced at the Ironman World Championships in Kona! Plus, we’ll have two athletes heading to the 70.3 Worlds in Marbella, Spain this year. Not to mention, we had two Boston Marathon qualifiers and several marathoners setting PRs at World Marathon Majors. Not too shabby for a small but mighty team of incredible athletes!
Collegiate Success
On the collegiate front, the Northeastern University Triathlon Team continues to grow and impress. At USAT Club Collegiate Nationals, the team placed 19th overall—a jump of three spots from the prior year and our best result yet. In fall conference racing, we narrowly missed out on top spots in women’s, men’s, and overall competitions against West Point—but we definitely had them sweating.
For the first time ever, Northeastern didn’t lose a single head-to-head race against West Point. That’s a huge milestone! Adding to the celebrations, Coach Ted was named the 2024 Northeast Collegiate Triathlon Conference Coach of the Year. The icing on the cake? The team has grown to 78 athletes of all abilities and experiences, working together to improve and share a love of the sport.
Growing Stronger Together
Catalyst continues to grow in experience, knowledge, and teamwork. We’re always pushing to deepen our understanding of the sport and better support athletes in reaching their goals. Exciting new developments are in the pipeline to help everyone be their best.
Also, we are going to bring back some old standbys such as monthly meetings, especially over the winter months where we will discuss specific topics and answer any questions you may have. I will be publishing a monthly newsletter reviewing team accomplishments, discussing new trends in our sport—whether for the good or the bad—what the literature is saying about training, nutrition, hydration, etc., and answering any burning questions.
Word of the Year: CONSISTENCY
Now let’s talk about 2025. The theme this year is CONSISTENCY.
Whether in sport, work, or life, improvement doesn’t come from occasional big leaps—it’s built on small, steady steps taken over time. It can be tough to grind day after day without seeing immediate results, but change happens slowly through consistency. Trust the process, embrace the journey, and the outcomes will take care of themselves.
When we focus too much on outcomes, a few things can happen:
It puts pressure on us to look for quick fixes and short-term gains, which often lead to injury or burnout.
It pushes us toward external validation and comparisons, which can lead to frustration and disappointment.
On the flip side, focusing on the process leads to steady, incremental gains over weeks, months, and years. CONSISTENCY COMPOUNDS.
We start with the foundation—building aerobic endurance in the off-season. Then we add structure—targeting specific types of races and distances. Finally, we finish with the fine-tuning—race-specific sessions to get you ready for the big day. When you stay consistent, progress builds on itself.
Of course, the occasional heroic effort is great—a 100-mile bike ride, a new Strava segment, or a PR in a run. But those big efforts should be the exception, not the rule.
This same principle applies beyond training. Whether it’s the classroom, work, or life, focusing on the process has the greatest impact. If you want to dive deeper, here’s an interesting research article on this topic: Consistency in Performance.
Let’s Make 2025 Amazing
It’s an honor and privilege to coach such a talented and inspiring group of athletes. You’re not just amazing athletes—you’re amazing people.
If you’re interested in joining the Catalyst team, let’s chat about your goals and how we can create the best plan for you. Use this link to schedule a time to talk: Schedule a Chat.
2025 is going to be an incredible year. Let’s see what we can accomplish together!
Coach Ted