Swim Pace Calculator
Enter how far you swam and how long it took, and get your pace per 100 m, per 100 yd, and per 50 m — the numbers you use to hold a set together and to track your fitness.
From a swim to a pace
Pace is the single most useful number in the pool. Once you know that you hold, say, 1:40 per 100 m, you can predict a 1,500 m time, choose a realistic send-off for a repeat set, and see at a glance whether today’s swim was faster or slower than last week’s. Everything starts from speed — distance over time — which this tool converts into the per-100 language that swimmers actually talk in.
Once you have a pace, the Interval Set Builder turns it into a full set with rest and send-off times, and the Pool Course Converter flips a yard time into its metre equivalent so you can compare across pools.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is swim pace calculated?
Pace is your time divided by the number of 100-unit blocks you swam. Swim 400 m in 6 minutes and you covered four 100 m blocks in 360 seconds, so your pace is 90 seconds — 1:30 — per 100 m. The calculator works out your speed in metres per second first, then expresses it as time per 100 m, per 100 yd, and per 50 m.
What is the difference between pace per 100 m and per 100 yd?
A yard is exactly 0.9144 metres, so 100 yards is 91.44 metres — about 8.5% shorter than 100 metres. At the same true speed your per-100-yd time is therefore your per-100-m time multiplied by 0.9144. A 1:30 per 100 m pace is roughly 1:22 per 100 yd. Pool clocks and meets in the United States usually run in yards, while the rest of the world uses metres, so being able to flip between the two matters.
What is a good swimming pace per 100 m?
It depends entirely on the swimmer. A fit adult doing steady freestyle laps often holds somewhere around 1:45 to 2:15 per 100 m; a competitive club swimmer might cruise at 1:15 to 1:30; elite distance swimmers hold well under a minute. The most useful number is your own trend over time, not a comparison to anyone else.
Should I include rest between laps in the time?
For a pure pace figure, no — time only the moving swimming over a continuous distance. If you enter the elapsed time for a whole session that included wall rests, you will get an average that blends swimming and resting, which is fine for planning but is not your swimming pace. For structured rest, use the interval set builder instead.
Educational estimate. Real pace shifts with fatigue, stroke, water, and how hard you swim — use the trend, not a single number.