Swim Pace Per 100m
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Total time is divided by total distance, then scaled to a 100m unit, so a 1500m swim completed in 30 minutes gives a pace of 2:00 per 100m. This standardizes pace regardless of the total distance swum.

Pool lengths and common training set distances (100m, 200m, 400m) are built around the 100m unit, making it the natural reference point for both training and racing in swimming. It also aligns with standard pool lengths in most competitive facilities.

No, pace per 100m is typically faster for shorter events like the 100m sprint and slower for longer events like the 1500m distance freestyle, reflecting the aerobic-anaerobic tradeoff across distances. Comparing pace across very different event lengths isn't meaningful without accounting for this.

Once you know your target race pace per 100m, you can build interval sets slightly faster than race pace for speed work, or slightly slower for aerobic endurance work, repeating over multiple 100m segments with controlled rest. This structures training intensity precisely around a known reference point.

Open water lacks the wall push-offs and flip turns that boost pool speed, and factors like currents, waves, and sighting add extra time and effort. Don't expect your pool pace per 100m to directly transfer to open water without some adjustment.