Lap times that tell you how a run really went
A total time says how long something took. Lap times say how you got there. Press Lap every time you pass a marker (each 400 m on a track, each mile on a road run, each length in the pool) and the stopwatch lists every split next to the running total. The fastest lap turns green and the slowest red, so pacing problems jump out.
How to time with laps
- Press Start or the space bar.
- Press Lap or the L key at each split point.
- Press the space bar again to pause; R resets.
- Use Export CSV to open your laps in Excel or Google Sheets.
Hand timing vs. electronic timing
Whoever presses the button adds reaction time. At the start, timers tend to react late, which makes hand-timed sprints look faster than electronic ones. Coaches often treat a hand-timed 40-yard dash as roughly 0.2 seconds quicker than the same run on a laser or pad system. For training comparisons, the fix is simple: let the same person time every attempt in the same way.
| What you time | Lap marker | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Track session | every 400 m | lane 1 is 400 m; outer lanes are longer |
| Mile repeats | 4 laps of 400 m | 1600 m is 9 m short of a mile |
| 40-yard dash | start to finish only | start the watch on first movement |
| Swimming | each pool length | 25 yd (US) or 25/50 m pools |
| Speech or presentation | each section | shows which part runs long |
Need to stop at a fixed time instead of measuring? Use the timer.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is the online stopwatch?
It uses the browser’s high-resolution clock and shows hundredths of a second. The limit is the human pressing the button, not the software.
Does it keep running if I close the tab?
No. Closing the tab stops it. Switching to another tab or app does not.
What are the keyboard shortcuts?
Space = start/pause, L = lap, R = reset.
Can I save my lap times?
Yes. Export CSV downloads all laps with lap time and running total.
What is the difference between a lap and a split?
People use both words loosely. Here, the lap time is the time for one segment, and the total column is the running time since the start.