Mastering the Pace Clock: From Training Times to Performance
Parent Guide Series - September 2026
In Performance swimming, knowing a time is only the starting point. Swimmers need to understand whether it matched the task and how their pace changed across the set.
This guide builds on the clock-reading and lane habits covered in Using the Pace Clock: The Skill Every Swimmer Needs to Master.
Know Your Times and Know Why
Three pieces of information matter:
Target pace: The time you are aiming to hold.
Cycle time: The time from one start to the next, including swimming and recovery.
Actual swim time: How long the repeat took.
A swimmer can complete every repeat on the correct cycle but miss the target pace. Another may start too quickly and struggle later.
Coach’s Tip: “Completing the set is not the same as achieving the purpose of the set.”
Cycle Time and Rest
Swim 100m in 1:16 on a 1:35 cycle and you have 19s before starting again.
A fixed rest interval works differently. With 20s rest after each 100m, the next start depends on when you finish. The rest stays the same, but the time between starts can change.
Example: Youth Performance Threshold Set
5 × (3 × 100m FS) @ 1:35Restart every 5:30Total distance: 1500m
FS means freestyle. Each round contains three 100m swims with starts 1:35 apart. A new round begins 5:30 after the previous round started.
For a swimmer starting on red :00:
100m | Start | Finish | Red hand at finish | Swim time |
1 | 0:00 | 1:16 | :16 | 1:16 |
2 | 1:35 | 2:52 | :52 | 1:17 |
3 | 3:10 | 4:29 | :29 | 1:19 |
Three complete cycles occupy 4:45. In this example, the swimmer finishes at 4:29 and has 1:01 before restarting at 5:30.
These are illustrative times. The coach sets the target pace and recovery to suit the swimmers.
The change from 1:16 to 1:19 should be considered alongside technique, effort and the remaining rounds. A small slowdown does not, by itself, confirm that a swimmer is working at threshold.
Understanding Pace, Progress and Fatigue
Performance swimmers learn to connect different speeds with how they feel.
A swimmer targeting 1:15 but repeatedly swimming 1:20 should discuss the difference with their coach. Feeling tired while still holding the target is also useful feedback.
For progress checks, compare similar sets under similar conditions: pool length, stroke, equipment and cycle time.
Progress might include faster repeats, steadier pacing or maintaining technique further into a set. Look for a pattern across comparable sessions rather than judging progress from one fast repeat.
If familiar times become unusually difficult, tell the coach how the swimming feels as well as what the clock shows. Recent training and recovery may help explain the change, but times alone cannot identify its cause.
Honest Training and Drafting
Useful comparisons depend on correct starts, agreed gaps and accurate swim times. Do not guess a missed reading or quietly leave early to make the next repeat.
Swimming close behind someone can reduce the effort needed at a given speed.
In controlled towing tests, Chatard and Wilson measured around 20% less passive drag close behind another swimmer. Separate swimming tests found lower oxygen use and perceived effort at the same speed. These are different measurements, not a fixed percentage reduction in effort for every swimmer.
Cycling offers a useful comparison: riders following closely can also benefit from reduced resistance. The size of the benefit cannot be transferred directly to swimming.
For a set intended to assess your own pace, drafting can change the workload and make comparisons with clear-water swimming less reliable. It does not make the swim worthless, but it matters when interpreting the times.
Performance Lane Leadership
Lane leaders need to understand the set, communicate starts and recognise when the order needs changing.
Choose the order for the stroke and pace being swum, not simply who usually leads. Everyone remains responsible for checking their own start and finish.
Using the Clock Across Training
Training use | What to check |
Consistent repeats | Am I reproducing the target time? |
Descending sets | Is each successive swim faster? |
Threshold work | Am I holding the prescribed pace and technique? |
Race-pace work | Am I reproducing the speed set for this task? |
Test sets | How does this compare with previous attempts under similar conditions? |
Practising target pace in training gives swimmers a reference for race execution. Starts, turns and the set’s recovery still need to be considered when comparing training times with racing.
Parent and Swimmer Guide
For swimmers: Know your target and cycle, remember your times and report useful changes to your coach. An uncertain reading is worth admitting.
For parents: “What pace were you trying to hold?” or “Did you manage to hold it?” can encourage discussion without comparing your swimmer with someone else.
Ask occasionally when your swimmer wants to talk. These are conversation starters, not a checklist after every session. Training adjustments remain with the swimmer and coach.
Coach’s View: Know your pace. Know your cycle. Know why.
Written by Spencer Turner Head of Swimming, Basingstoke Bluefins Swimming Club
