I think people were confused because we are primarily on a track website. Thus whenever someone talks automatic the assumption is made that its FAT under race conditions. The timing gates recording method you use in the UK is not uncommon and used extensively in other countries. The way the start is timed can vary from on the line (activated when the person leaves the beam) and behind the line from varying distances of 30cm to a 1m (activated when somone passes through the beam).
There isn’t any point trying to compare acceleration race times with gate times from 50cm because as its been pointed out the initial movement, reaction etc are not collected and this is a ““significant component””. They however can give accurate info when set up to collect flying split times.
Whatever is used if your improving from year to year then your progressing. But lets just say if Bolt were coming off 0.5m behind a gate then we can assume he would be’significantly’ faster than any time he has run from a gun in a race.
Lets just remember training times are for oneself to monitor progression and or sometimes to keep us honest. We race to see comparison between individuals.
All the best it seems like you are progressing quite well year after year.