     // MARK: Time Properties
 
     /// The amount of time, in seconds, `self` has been running.
-    internal var elapsed: Foundation.TimeInterval = 0.0
+    internal var elapsed = 0.0
 
     /// The date/time of the last "tick" event.
-    private var lastTickDate: Foundation.Date?
+    private var lastTickDate = Foundation.Date()
 
     // MARK: Initialization
 

     */
    internal func reset() {
        self.elapsed = 0.0
        self.lastTickDate = nil
    }

    /**

    /**
     A method invoked every update cycle that updates `self`'s elapsed time 
     by the amount of time passed since the last update cycle. The duration
     between update cycles is determined by the timer's `timeInterval`.
     */
    @objc fileprivate func tick() {
        guard self.running else {
            return
        }

        let now = Date()
        let deltaTime = now.timeIntervalSince(self.lastTickDate)

        self.elapsed += deltaTime
        self.lastTickDate = now
