Swimming to Running equivalent

For Swimming to running equivalency speed must increases by a factor of four for the same time interval.

That is 400m swim in 10 minutes is equivalent to mile run in 10 minutes.

There is no equivalent. I have been out for 6 weeks with a knee injury and have been swimming 4 times a week with total workouts being between 2000-3000 meters and decided to time trial a 5k on the track and was 80 seconds slower than before I got hurt.

yeah, its never gonna be equal, but I usually replace a 70min run with 70min of x-training. its a different workout, so its never going to be as specific as you want it.

There's no true just-time equivalent. But if you look at records you can see a trend.

A mile swim tends to be around 15-18minutes. So a mile swimming would be about a 5k.

A 100m swim tends to be low-high 40seconds. So a 100m swimming would equal about a 400m run.

500m tends to be low-mid 4minutes. So a 500m swim would be equal to a mile run.

See how they sort of go together in that sense? Hope it helps out somehow.

How fast can Michael Phelps or Lance Armstrong run a 5k? I wouldn't expect that there is much beneficial crossover, but maybe there is

[quote]RunningSwimmer wrote:

A mile swim tends to be around 15-18minutes. So a mile swimming would be about a 5k.

A 100m swim tends to be low-high 40seconds. So a 100m swimming would equal about a 400m run.

500m tends to be low-mid 4minutes. So a 500m swim would be equal to a mile run.

[quote]

In what world can your average runner swim a mile in 15-18minutes? Unless the injured person was an actual swimmer at some point prior to becoming a runner (and has kept up with it to some extent,) there is no way they could bust out a 15min pool mile. Try 20-24min.

4:1

If you run 1 mile that is equivalent of a 440 yard or 400 meter swim. And vice versa.

Dr. Glenn Stephens wrote:

4:1

If you run 1 mile that is equivalent of a 440 yard or 400 meter swim. And vice versa.

So what is the running equivalent of a sub 15 minute 1500 swim? That was always the benchmark for long distance swimming greatness.

messi wrote:

So what is the running equivalent of a sub 15 minute 1500 swim? That was always the benchmark for long distance swimming greatness.

approx. Sub-13 5k.

I was a 4:05 1500M guy in college. In my mid-30s, splitting my training between running and swimming, I could run a :56 400M and swim a :56 100yds. I could swim a 1650 yds (~1500M in a yds pool) in mid to high 21s, which was probably pretty close to what I could run for a 6k, since I was running low 17s 5Ks.

A 100m swim average is NOT high 40s are you tripping? THat is Olympic qualifying...

Seriously? On the off chance this isn't a troll...

First of all, forget about pace guidelines, as talent/skill at running does not necessarily transfer to any other endurance activity. Fitness does, of course, but all that means is that you can swim/bike/hike for a long time, not fast!

The easiest way to transfer workouts is by time, so a 70 min run is replaced by a 70 min swim or bike. However, it is important that you approach these other activities like a runner! Swimming is harder than running overall, and focused swimmers do lots of short intervals, so the 70 min workout would include some warm-up work with treading and kickboards, then a steady endurance segment (say 20-40 min), then maybe some intervals at the end. Biking, conversely, is easier than running (coasting! drafting!), so it is important to keep in higher gears with a fast turnover.

For a more accurate conversion, try to track calorie expenditures...

But really, if you want to maintain running specific endurance, try aqua-jogging. It has worked to some degree for elites like Ritz and schlubs like me.

forget olympic qualifiying, mid-high 40s is gold medal

I’m one of those runners who swears by swimming. I mean, it’s boring as hell- but for me there always feels like a palpable difference in my running when I’m regularly getting pool workouts in. Short, high intensity intervals get my heart rate way up, plus your body gains efficiency in a lower-oxygen environment essentially. The only real equivalent is perceived effort: get out of the pooling feeling as destroyed as you would from a hard track session, and you did your fitness a favor.

Scissor Kick wrote:

[quote]RunningSwimmer wrote:

A mile swim tends to be around 15-18minutes. So a mile swimming would be about a 5k.

A 100m swim tends to be low-high 40seconds. So a 100m swimming would equal about a 400m run.

500m tends to be low-mid 4minutes. So a 500m swim would be equal to a mile run.

[quote]

In what world can your average runner swim a mile in 15-18minutes? Unless the injured person was an actual swimmer at some point prior to becoming a runner (and has kept up with it to some extent,) there is no way they could bust out a 15min pool mile. Try 20-24min.

World records for free style are 46.91s for 100m and 14:31 for 1500m. Top triathletes can swim 1500m in 16-17min. I am a former competitive swimmer but have to swim for a few weeks before I can swim 1500m under 25min.

Given my current fitness, 3000m in 1 hour is equivalent to about 10km running (I am heavy). For someone who has not been a competitive swimmer, just go by time: continuous swimming for 1 hour is equivalent to 1 hour running (same intensity).

as a runner who has done a little bit of swimming once every couple years due to injury, I'd say that 30min of swimming is worth more than 30 minutes of running. I'm an inefficient swimmer as I'm sure most runners would also be.

a couple minutes of swimming leaves me out of breath, basically. even when I'm in 15min 5k shape

so I think the conversion would depend on your experience in the pool.

reed wrote:

as a runner who has done a little bit of swimming once every couple years due to injury, I'd say that 30min of swimming is worth more than 30 minutes of running. I'm an inefficient swimmer as I'm sure most runners would also be.

a couple minutes of swimming leaves me out of breath, basically. even when I'm in 15min 5k shape

so I think the conversion would depend on your experience in the pool.

exactly.

There is this thing called RESISTANCE. And water is a lot denser than air, so 15 mins of swimming expending more energy and muscle power than 15 mins of running. The effort is doubled or even tripled.

So I would say 15 mins of continuous swimming is equivalent to about 45 mins of continuous running. Swimming is a lot harder, and requires more oxygen intake because of the resistance the body has to go through, and the power that is needed to propel the body through that resistance.

Crumbs on my shirt wrote:

How fast can Michael Phelps or Lance Armstrong run a 5k? I wouldn't expect that there is much beneficial crossover, but maybe there is

You are incorrect! - I have come back from several weeks of injury having lost only a minimal amount of fitness having biked, elliptical and swimming. With a week of easy running and another week of training, I was just about back to where I left off. I have also come back from injury having done nothing physical for several weeks and lost almost all of my fitness. Granted, nothing prepares you for running better than running, but any activity that engages the aerobic system and/or similar muscles is of benefit.

12345 wrote:

What would be, if any, the equivalent of a swim to a run. Like lets say i went skiing all day and it was too dark when i got home and i was supposed to run 70 mins, what could i swim to at least come close to the equivalent of a 70 min run

As has been said, your swimming is not at the same level as your running. If you did happen to be equally proficient at both and wanted a similar workout in the pool in terms of what your body can handle with respect to volume, then you would be looking at about 180 minutes in the pool.

Of course, a runner inexperienced in the water doing a 3 hour pool workout to try to offset a missed 70 minute run is just plain dumb.