It’s one of the most common questions lifeguards get when working at a pool: How many lengths do I need to swim if I want to complete a mile?The simple answer is: It depends on the pool.First, to cover a mile, you’ll have to swim 5,280 feet, or 1,760 yards, or 1,609.34 meters. Second, not every pool is the same length. Far from it. Imperial MeasurementIn the United States, pools intended for training or competition are typically measured in either yards or meters. A standard competition-sized pool is 25 yards long and is known as a short course yards pool in competitive parlance. That’s the length of pool used for most summer league, high school, and college competitions. The U.S. never adopted the metric system the rest of the world did, and although international swimming competitions are usually measured in meters, yards rule the day here. Despite the short length of these pools, you can cover a lot of ground in them. Distance swimmers often refer to the 1650-yard freestyleevent, wh...
