Is there a conversion factor from either a short- or long-course event to an open water mile? Obviously this depends on the condition of the water, swimmer, etc., but is there some "rough" translation going from walls to waves?
Former Member
First question is:
Can you swim in straight line for a mile?
:D
Great question. I've got my first open water swim in a couple weeks and I've been wondering and asking the same question - not getting any "definate" answer.
Rough conversion? Probably add 2 to 4 minutes to your pool mile time. It's gonna differ for individuals. If it's your first, remember, it's a learning experience and you'll get faster as you get more experience.
When you actually do the swim, however, you need to be skeptical about your time. I have swum 2 mile ocean swims in 30 minutes and 1 mile ocean swims also in 30 minutes. Yes that seems unlikely. My pool speed isn't real close to either pace. However, the conditions, the actual length of the course(which varies tremendously from the advertised distance), currents, chop, the speed of the pack, all make open water swim times impossible to convert to pool times.
Of course, that is part of the fun of the swim...