I run time trial days at Bishopsworth Swimming Club because they’re an incredibly useful tool: we get honest data on where swimmers are, coaches can plan training blocks, and athletes get a low-pressure opportunity to test race pace. Over the years I’ve learned how to structure a time trial so results are reliable and stress is kept to a minimum. Below I share the practical plan I use, the roles I assign, and the little details that make a big difference — whether you’re running a club session for juniors, masters, or mixed squads.
Why run a club time trial?
Time trials are not just mini-meets. They’re diagnostic opportunities. I want swimmers to leave with useful information: splits, stroke-rate awareness, pacing patterns and realistic goals for the next 6–12 weeks. Done well, a time trial also builds confidence because athletes rehearse pre-race routines and learn to race in a controlled environment. Done poorly, they become chaotic, inconsistent and anxiety-inducing.
Principles I follow
- Honesty — fair starts, accurate timing and consistent procedures so times are comparable between squads and sessions.
- Low stress — a calm environment, clear instructions, reasonable warm-ups and no surprises.
- Efficiency — use time wisely so volunteers and pool time aren’t wasted.
- Education — use the event to teach pacing, race planning and post-race reflection.
Before the day: planning and communication
I put out a short information pack at least one week in advance via our club channels and the website (https://www.bishopsworthswimmingclub.co.uk). It includes:
- Event purpose and who should attend (e.g. “all performance squads + interested masters”).
- Warm-up times by age/ability and an outline of the session plan.
- What to bring (goggles, spare cap, pace clock watch or interval timer app like Swim.com or Finis Tempo Trainer if available).
- How we seed the swims and how we’ll handle starts/timing.
Clear expectations reduce nerves. I also ask parents and swimmers to arrive early and to keep questions about seeding until the briefing — we want the deck calm.
Roles and volunteers
Assigning roles is non-negotiable. I treat a time trial like a micro-meet. The basic roster I aim for:
- Meet coordinator (me or another coach): runs the briefings and problem-solves.
- Starter/Referee: ensures fair, consistent starts — even a volunteer trained in pool starts works fine.
- Timekeepers (2 per lane or a primary electronic system + backup manual): essential for honesty.
- Recorders/results manager: inputs times into a spreadsheet live.
- Marshal/warm-up supervisor: keeps warm-up lanes organised and swimmers on time.
- First aider and poolside safety officer.
If you’re small on volunteers, reduce the number of simultaneous lanes or stagger heats. Fewer simultaneous swims means fewer timekeepers needed and less chaos.
Warm-up structure
A structured warm-up is the single biggest thing that reduces stress and improves the quality of swims. I provide a written warm-up broken into blocks:
- 10 minutes easy swim: get the feel of the water.
- 6 x 50 drill/swim on 15–20s rest: focus on technique.
- 4 x 25 build to race pace with full turns and breakout practice.
- 2 race-pace sprints 1–2 minutes before your time trial swim (30–60m depending on event).
We assign lanes in warm-up so faster swimmers aren’t ducking and weaving; that keeps anxiety low. I also play soft announcements 5 minutes before the end of warm-up so swimmers have time to get out, change, and mentally prepare.
Seeding and start order
To get honest results, seed by expected time, not just by squad. I ask coaches to submit entry times or best recent training set times a few days before. Where there’s no data, use training set times. For fairness, lane assignments follow standard seeding: fastest in middle lanes if you’re running multiple heats and want race-like conditions.
For club time trials I often use a mixed-ability heats approach for certain distances (e.g. 50s and 100s) so newer swimmers watch older ones and learn pacing. For longer distances (200m+), I keep heats ability-specific to reduce drafting and interference.
Starts, turns and officiating
Decide in advance whether starts will be led (whistle + horn) or self-starts. I recommend a started start for reliability, and I train one volunteer in starter procedure. For younger squads I allow a gentle rehearsal of the start before the heat — this reduces false starts and nerves.
Be explicit about turns and finish rules: no dolphin kick changes, touch rules, or extras. The official(s) should be visible and consistent. I always keep at least one coach watching each lane for technical issues and to note any rule breaches.
Timing and technology
Electronic timing with touchpads is ideal but often unrealistic for a club time trial. I run the following practical systems:
- Primary: two manual timekeepers per lane with stopwatches and a visible pace clock.
- Backup: a coach with a smartphone video of the finish (useful for disputes).
- Optional: use apps like MeetMobile or a simple Google Sheets template to log times live and show times on a poolside tablet.
Consistency in how times are recorded (to the hundredth or tenth of a second) is important. I instruct timekeepers beforehand and do a quick timing drill at the start of the session.
Post-race routine and feedback
Avoid long interrogations on the poolside. My post-race routine:
- Swimmer does a 200m easy cooldown or 5–10 minutes easy swimming.
- Coach gives one short, constructive piece of feedback: what went well and one actionable improvement.
- Recorder posts provisional results within 10–15 minutes; official results after any video checks or disputes.
I encourage swimmers to jot down how they paced the race and any breathing or stroke-rate observations. That reflection turns a time into usable data for the next training cycle.
Using the results
After the event I export the results into our season tracking spreadsheet and update individual training targets. Time trials should directly inform training intensity distribution: who needs more threshold work, who should focus on sprint mechanics, and who should prioritise aerobic endurance.
At Bishopsworth we publish a short, friendly results summary on the blog and social channels so swimmers and families can see progress. Transparency builds trust — and it keeps time trials from being a mysterious “test” that causes anxiety.
Small details that matter
- Offer mock race warm-up lanes for nervous swimmers to practise starts and finishes.
- Provide a quiet space for older athletes who prefer to focus away from the crowd.
- Label swim caps or lanes to reduce confusion at the blocks.
- Keep the announcements positive: celebrate effort and learning, not just PBs.
Run time trials regularly but not too frequently — every 6–8 weeks is a good rhythm for most clubs. That cadence gives enough time to train with a clear purpose between tests.
If you’d like, I can share a downloadable checklist and a Google Sheets template we use at Bishopsworth for live results. Email me via the contact page on https://www.bishopsworthswimmingclub.co.uk and I’ll send it over.
