Timing Methods for a 40 Yard Dash

Famously used to test the fitness and speed of American football players, the 40-yard dash is literally a race over a distance of 120 feet. The most obvious way of timing the event is by using the timepiece that most people have about their person. More specialized timepieces are also convenient for the purpose. However, for more accurate timing, technology developed in the last few years is more appropriate.

  1. Wristwatch

    • You can use a wristwatch to time a 40-yard dash. Try to be the race starter, so you can shout "Go" when the second hand of your wristwatch is at a convenient point for memorization purposes, such as at 12 o'clock. Also, stand on the finish line to get a clear view of the winner. If the first person to cross the line does so as the second hand is on the number "3," her time is 15 seconds.

    Stopwatch

    • You can also use a stopwatch to time a 40-yard dash. A stopwatch is a specialized timepiece that allows you to record an event from its commencement, or start, to its termination, or end. To do so, you typically have your thumb over the start button before the beginning of the race, pressing it to activate the watch as the race begins. Press the stop button when the race ends, then read the dial to find out the time taken.

    Chronometer

    • A third timepiece you can use for this purpose is a chronometer. Some people believe a chronometer is a watch fitted with a stopwatch, but according to Swiss timepiece authority Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC), this is not so. Rather, it is a precisely engineered watch that displays seconds all the time. Both of these qualities will be useful in establishing the time of the winner of the 40-yard dash.

    FAT

    • FAT is usually a thing runners want to avoid but not when it stands for fully automated timing. This is the most precise timing system, theoretically, but also the most complicated to set up. It utilizes a starting gun transducer, a device that changes energy into a different form. The starter wears the transducer on her wrist. When she fires the starting gun, an electronic timer, connected by wire, begins counting the race time. As the runners cross the line, their finishing times are recorded.