Matching Wits With The Timer

In the International Speech Contest, this thing --- the timer --- is at once friend and foe.  And it is much on my mind as I introduce changes and improvements to my semifinal speech.

In practice, I find that I time long compared with actual presentations.  Just last week I was stunned to find a 7-9 minute speech that timed consistently at 8:30 at home clocked out at 7:01 for real.  And I still shudder at the memory of not seeing the yellow light come on in the district contest until I reached the last word.

This is something I will be addressing with my coach later this summer.  Is my delivery pace---in front of humans---a bit too fast?  Should I be worried that I crash into disqualification at 7:30, as my practice times suggest, or that the green light will be my only color?

These are the things we obsess about in Toastmasters speaking.