Swim Pace Calculator per 100m or 100yd
Choose what to work out. Get your pace per 100 from a distance and a time, the finishing time for a distance at a given pace, or your critical swim speed from a 400 and a 200 time trial. The calculator also counts pool lengths and laps for the distance. Use it to work out a 100 m swim pace, a 1500 m swim time or your critical swim speed.
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Formula
pace per 100 = time (s) / distance x 100time = pace per 100 (s) x distance / 100CSS pace per 100 = (T400 - T200) / 2seconds, from the critical swim speed modelCSS = (400 - 200) / (T400 - T200)(Wakayoshi et al., 1992)lengths = distance / pool length,laps = lengths / 2
Metres and yards are never mixed: the pace is per 100 of whichever unit you choose. Results are rounded to the nearest second.
Worked example
1500 m in 25:00 in a 25 m pool:
- Time is 1500 s, so pace = 1500 / 1500 x 100 = 100 s = 1:40 per 100 m
- Lengths: 1500 / 25 = 60, so 30 laps
- Speed: 1500 m / 1500 s = 1.00 m/s
CSS example: a 400 in 6:00 (360 s) and a 200 in 2:50 (170 s) give (360 - 170) / 2 = 95 s, a CSS of 1:35 per 100; 1500 m at that pace takes 23:45.
When to use it
Use it to convert a swim time into pace per 100, to see how long a distance takes at a given pace, or to set training paces from a 400 and 200 time trial.
Typical values (rules of thumb)
- Around 2:00 per 100 m is a common recreational pace.
- Under 1:30 per 100 m is strong club level, and elite swimmers go below 1:00.
Common mistakes
- Mixing metres and yards. A yard is 0.9144 m, so a 100 yd pace is about 9% faster on the clock than the same effort per 100 m.
- Using pool times for open water. Open water is usually slower.
How it differs from nearby tools
The running pace calculator and split time calculator are for running. The triathlon time calculator adds the swim to the bike and run, and the cycling speed calculator handles the bike.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate swim pace per 100 m?
Divide your time in seconds by the distance and multiply by 100. For 1500 m in 25:00 (1500 s): 1500 / 1500 x 100 = 100 s, a pace of 1:40 per 100 m. The same maths works for yards.
What is critical swim speed (CSS)?
CSS is a pace estimate you can hold for a long swim without tiring quickly, based on the work of Wakayoshi and colleagues. Swim an all-out 400 and 200 (with a good rest between) and use (T400 - T200) / 2 as the pace per 100. With 6:00 and 2:50 that is (360 - 170) / 2 = 95 s, or 1:35 per 100.
How many laps is 1500 m in a 25 m pool?
1500 / 25 = 60 lengths. If a lap means there and back, that is 30 laps. In a 50 m pool the same distance is 30 lengths, or 15 laps. Some swimmers count each length as a lap, so check how your pool or watch counts.
Is a pace per 100 yd the same as per 100 m?
No, a yard is shorter than a metre (0.9144 m), so 100 yd is about 91.4 m. A 1:30 pace per 100 yd is roughly 1:38 per 100 m. This calculator keeps whichever unit you choose, so do not mix the two.
Are the CSS and time results exact?
The pace, time and lap arithmetic is exact, with results rounded to the nearest second. CSS is a model, so treat the pace as an estimate; it depends on how well paced and rested your two trials were.
What is a good swim pace per 100 m?
As a rule of thumb, 2:00 per 100 m is a solid recreational pace and 1:30 per 100 m or faster is a strong club swimmer. For example, 1500 m in 25:00 works out to 1:40 per 100 m.
How long is 1500 m at 1:40 per 100 m?
1500 m is 15 hundreds, so 15 x 100 s = 1,500 s, which is 25:00. In a 25 m pool that is 60 lengths, or 30 laps.
How long does it take to swim 400 m at 1:45 per 100 m?
The time is 1:45 x 4 = 7:00. In a 25 m pool that is 16 lengths, or 8 laps.