Swimming Pace Calculator
Work out your swim pace per 100 meters or yards, your speed and even splits from any distance and time. Or enter a 400 and 200 time trial to get your Critical Swim Speed (CSS) and training paces.
How to use the Swimming Pace Calculator
- Choose a mode: pace from distance and time, or CSS from a time trial.
- Enter the distance and unit (meters or yards) and your time, e.g. 28:30.
- Read your pace per 100, speed and per-kilometer time.
- Use the split table to pace your next swim evenly.
- For CSS, enter your 400 and 200 trial times to get threshold and training paces.
Swimming pace formulas
| Result | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Pace per 100 | time (s) ÷ distance × 100 | 1,500 m in 28:30 → 1:54 /100 m |
| Speed | distance (m) ÷ time (s) | 1,500 ÷ 1,710 = 0.877 m/s |
| 100 m → 100 yd pace | pace per 100 m × 0.9144 | 1:54 → 1:44.2 |
| Critical Swim Speed | 200 ÷ (T400 − T200) | 6:40 and 3:10 → 200 ÷ 210 = 0.952 m/s |
| CSS pace per 100 | 100 ÷ CSS | 100 ÷ 0.952 = 1:45 /100 m |
Common swim race distances
| Event | Distance | Time at 2:00 /100 m | Time at 1:40 /100 m |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint triathlon | 750 m | 15:00 | 12:30 |
| Olympic triathlon / 1500 m | 1,500 m | 30:00 | 25:00 |
| Half Ironman (70.3) | 1,900 m | 38:00 | 31:40 |
| Ironman | 3,800 m | 1:16:00 | 1:03:20 |
| Open water 5 km | 5,000 m | 1:40:00 | 1:23:20 |
Open water times are usually slower than pool times at the same effort because there are no walls to push off, plus waves, currents and sighting.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate swim pace per 100 meters?
Divide your total time in seconds by the distance and multiply by 100. For example, 1,500 m in 28:30 (1,710 s) gives 1,710 ÷ 1,500 × 100 = 114 s, so a pace of 1:54 per 100 m.
How do I convert pace per 100 m to pace per 100 yards?
One yard is 0.9144 m, so multiply the pace per 100 m by 0.9144. A 1:54 per 100 m pace is about 1:44.2 per 100 yd. To go the other way, divide by 0.9144.
What is Critical Swim Speed (CSS)?
CSS is an estimate of the fastest pace you can hold for a long time without tiring quickly, similar to a threshold pace. It is calculated from two time trials: CSS (m/s) = 200 ÷ (T400 − T200), with times in seconds.
How do I do a CSS test?
After a good warm-up, swim a 400 all-out with even pacing, recover fully with easy swimming (often 5–10 minutes), then swim a 200 all-out. Use the same pool and stroke for both and retest every 6–8 weeks.
What is a good swimming pace per 100 m?
It varies widely. Many recreational adult swimmers swim freestyle at roughly 2:00 to 2:30 per 100 m, fitter age-group and triathlon swimmers around 1:30 to 1:50, and elite distance swimmers under 1:05.
Does a 25 yard pool make a difference?
Yes. Yards are shorter than meters, so the same pace per 100 yd is faster in real speed than per 100 m. Short-course pools also add more turns and push-offs, which usually make times a little faster than in a 50 m pool.