Quick answer: pace per 100 = time / distance x 100. 1500 m in 30:00 is 2:00 per 100 m, which is 1:49.7 per 100 yd. At that pace a 750 m sprint swim takes 15:00 and the 2.4-mile full-distance swim takes 1:17:15.
How to use it
Type a distance, choose metres or yards to match your pool, and enter the time as m:ss or h:mm:ss. The tool gives pace per 100 in both units, the time per 50 m or 25 yd length, and projected times for 400 m and the four standard triathlon swims. Use a continuous swim or a time trial; a session with rests between reps will give an optimistic number.
Worked example: yards to metres
You swim 1650 yd in a 25 yd pool in 27:30. That is 1,650 seconds over 1,650 yards, so exactly 1:40 per 100 yd. One yard is 0.9144 m, so the swim covered 1,508.8 m, and 1,650 / 1,508.8 x 100 = 109.4 seconds, or 1:49.4 per 100 m. A pace per 100 m always reads slower than the same pace per 100 yd: this conversion is why, before any difference in turns.
Swim pace chart
Pace per 100 m from 1:15 to 3:30 with the yard equivalent and finish times at common distances.
| Per 100 m | Per 100 yd | 400 m | 750 m (sprint tri) | 1500 m (Olympic) | 1.2 mi (70.3) | 2.4 mi (Ironman) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1:15 | 1:09 | 5:00 | 9:23 | 18:45 | 0:24:08 | 0:48:17 |
| 1:20 | 1:13 | 5:20 | 10:00 | 20:00 | 0:25:45 | 0:51:30 |
| 1:25 | 1:18 | 5:40 | 10:38 | 21:15 | 0:27:22 | 0:54:43 |
| 1:30 | 1:22 | 6:00 | 11:15 | 22:30 | 0:28:58 | 0:57:56 |
| 1:35 | 1:27 | 6:20 | 11:53 | 23:45 | 0:30:35 | 1:01:09 |
| 1:40 | 1:31 | 6:40 | 12:30 | 25:00 | 0:32:11 | 1:04:22 |
| 1:45 | 1:36 | 7:00 | 13:08 | 26:15 | 0:33:48 | 1:07:36 |
| 1:50 | 1:41 | 7:20 | 13:45 | 27:30 | 0:35:24 | 1:10:49 |
| 1:55 | 1:45 | 7:40 | 14:22 | 28:45 | 0:37:01 | 1:14:02 |
| 2:00 | 1:50 | 8:00 | 15:00 | 30:00 | 0:38:37 | 1:17:15 |
| 2:05 | 1:54 | 8:20 | 15:38 | 31:15 | 0:40:14 | 1:20:28 |
| 2:10 | 1:59 | 8:40 | 16:15 | 32:30 | 0:41:51 | 1:23:41 |
| 2:15 | 2:03 | 9:00 | 16:53 | 33:45 | 0:43:27 | 1:26:54 |
| 2:20 | 2:08 | 9:20 | 17:30 | 35:00 | 0:45:04 | 1:30:07 |
| 2:25 | 2:13 | 9:40 | 18:08 | 36:15 | 0:46:40 | 1:33:21 |
| 2:30 | 2:17 | 10:00 | 18:45 | 37:30 | 0:48:17 | 1:36:34 |
| 2:35 | 2:22 | 10:20 | 19:23 | 38:45 | 0:49:53 | 1:39:47 |
| 2:40 | 2:26 | 10:40 | 20:00 | 40:00 | 0:51:30 | 1:43:00 |
| 2:45 | 2:31 | 11:00 | 20:38 | 41:15 | 0:53:07 | 1:46:13 |
| 2:50 | 2:35 | 11:20 | 21:15 | 42:30 | 0:54:43 | 1:49:26 |
| 2:55 | 2:40 | 11:40 | 21:53 | 43:45 | 0:56:20 | 1:52:39 |
| 3:00 | 2:45 | 12:00 | 22:30 | 45:00 | 0:57:56 | 1:55:52 |
| 3:05 | 2:49 | 12:20 | 23:08 | 46:15 | 0:59:33 | 1:59:05 |
| 3:10 | 2:54 | 12:40 | 23:45 | 47:30 | 1:01:09 | 2:02:19 |
| 3:15 | 2:58 | 13:00 | 24:23 | 48:45 | 1:02:46 | 2:05:32 |
| 3:20 | 3:03 | 13:20 | 25:00 | 50:00 | 1:04:22 | 2:08:45 |
| 3:25 | 3:07 | 13:40 | 25:37 | 51:15 | 1:05:59 | 2:11:58 |
| 3:30 | 3:12 | 14:00 | 26:15 | 52:30 | 1:07:36 | 2:15:11 |
Pool against open water
Pool times include a push-off from every wall, which open water does not. Add sighting, waves and a course that may be longer than advertised, and race swims usually come out slower per 100 than pool sets. Use your pool pace as a starting point and adjust once you have a race or open water time trial of your own.
Add the bike and run with the triathlon calculator, or estimate swim calories with the swimming calorie calculator.
Formula and examples checked . Found a problem? Tell us.
Questions
How do I calculate swim pace per 100 m?
Divide your time in seconds by the distance in metres and multiply by 100. 1000 m in 20:00 is 1,200 / 1,000 x 100 = 120 seconds, or 2:00 per 100 m.
How do I convert pace per 100 yd to per 100 m?
Divide by 0.9144. 1:40 per 100 yd is 100 / 0.9144 = 109.4 seconds, or 1:49.4 per 100 m.
How long will a 1500 m swim take at 2:00 per 100 m?
30:00. Fifteen lots of 100 m at 2:00 each.
What is a 1650 swim?
A 1650-yard freestyle swim: 66 lengths of a 25-yard pool, about 1,508.8 m. It is 1,508.8 m, a little short of a real mile.