Calculate swim distance from lap length and laps, or swim pace from total time, with results in meters, yards, feet, kilometers and miles.
Swim Distance Formula
The basic swim distance formula is:
- D = total swim distance
- L = length of one lap
- N = number of laps
If you know the total distance and lap length, the number of laps is:
If you know the total distance and number of laps, the lap length is:
For pace from laps, the calculator first finds your total distance, then divides your total time by the number of 100-meter or 100-yard segments:
- Pace100 = time per 100 meters or 100 yards
- T = total swim time
- D = total swim distance in the same distance unit used for pace
The distance tab can calculate the missing value when you enter any two of lap length, number of laps, and swim distance. The pace tab uses lap length, laps, and total time to calculate total distance and pace per 100 m and per 100 yd. Unit conversions are applied before the formulas are calculated.
Common Pool Lengths and Swim Distances
| Pool type | One lap length | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short-course meters | 25 m | Common indoor pool length |
| Short-course yards | 25 yd | Common in the United States |
| Olympic-size pool | 50 m | Long-course meters |
| Target distance | 25 m pool | 50 m pool | 25 yd pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 m | 20 laps | 10 laps | About 21.87 laps |
| 1,000 m | 40 laps | 20 laps | About 43.74 laps |
| 1 mile | About 64.37 laps | About 32.19 laps | About 70.4 laps |
Example
Example 1: Find swim distance
You swim 40 laps in a 25 m pool.
Your swim distance is 1,000 m, or 1 km.
Example 2: Find pace from laps
You swim 30 laps in a 25 yd pool in 24 minutes.
Your pace is 3:12 per 100 yd.
FAQ
Does one lap mean one length or down and back?
In this calculator, one lap means one pool length. If your pool or workout defines a lap as down and back, either enter the down-and-back distance as the lap length or double the number of lengths before calculating.
How do I calculate laps for a target distance?
Divide the target distance by the length of one lap. For example, in a 25 m pool, 1,500 m divided by 25 m equals 60 laps. If the result is not a whole number, round up if you need to complete at least the full target distance.
Why are meters and yards different for swim pace?
Meters and yards are different distance units. One yard is 0.9144 meters, so a 100 yd pace covers a shorter distance than a 100 m pace. The calculator converts the distance before showing pace per 100 m and per 100 yd.
