Quick Dip: How Do I Read the Pace Clock?

A short read for the car journey

Category: Pace Clock & Lane Skills  | Read time: Under 2 minutes

The pace clock helps you know when to start and how long you have been swimming.

On a clock with a moving hand, one full trip around the face takes 60 seconds. Learn these four positions first:

• Top: :00, sometimes marked 60.

• Right: :15.

• Bottom: :30.

• Left: :45.

The marks between them show the seconds in between. If your coach says “leave on the bottom”, your starting point is :30.

Many pace clocks have a red hand and a black hand, pointing in opposite directions. They are 30 seconds apart. When the red hand is at the top, the black hand is at the bottom.

Follow the colour your coach names. If your coach says “red :15”, watch the red hand reach the number 15 on the right. If you start using the red hand, check that same hand when you finish.

Practise finding your starting number while you wait for your turn.

Did you know? Some pace clocks have four coloured hands, spaced 15 seconds apart.

Created by Basingstoke Bluefins Coaching Team