How long is a mile
George J. Woyansky
In previous postings, people have been discussing how many laps in an
olympic size pool constitute a mile. One mile = 5280 feet = 1760 yards =
1609 meters. A true olympic-size pool is 50 meters long (i.e. one length
= 50 meters), so to do a mile you'd have to swim 32.186 lengths of the pool.
A couple of things cloud the issue. One is the perceived equivalence of laps
and lengths. A lap is defined as a round trip, so one lap is equal to two
lengths of any pool (down and back). So, to complete a mile swim you'd have to
go 33 lengths, or 16 1/2 laps.
The other thing that confuses everyone is what exactly an olympic-size pool is.
By definition, olympic size means 50 meters/length. However, many health clubs
and rec centers call any pool that's designed for lap swimming (i.e. no
kidney beans, ovals, etc.) an 'olympic-size' pool. Other popular lengths are
25 meters and 25 yards per length. The 25 meter and 25 yard pools are common
in high school and small-college gyms. A really strange one that I've found is
the pool length in Scandinavian (Bally's) Health Spas. The ones I've visited
are typically 20 yards.
Length # of lengths/mile #laps/mile
50 meters 33 17 (16.5)
50 yards 36 (35.2) 18 (17.6)
25 meters 65 (64.3) 33 (32.2)
25 yards 71 (70.4) 36 (35.2)
George Woyansky
Doctoral Student, Dept. of Elect. and Comp. Engineering
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA
John Schmitz
> A lap is defined as a round trip, so one lap is equal to two
> lengths of any pool (down and back).
Maybe that's your definition, but most competitive swimmers
don't use that definition. Laps and lengths are used
interchangeably for one length. Most "lap counters" go from 1
to 65 for the 1650 yd race in a 25 yd pool which by your
definition would only be 33 laps. This is somewhat irrelevant
anyway; a 1650 is a 1650 is 1650 is a very long race...
Jeff Berger
The 25 meter and 25 yard pools are common
in high school and small-college gyms. A really strange one that
I've found is
the pool length in Scandinavian (Bally's) Health Spas. The ones
I've visited
are typically 20 yards.
Length # of lengths/mile #laps/mile
50 meters 33 17 (16.5)
50 yards 36 (35.2) 18 (17.6)
25 meters 65 (64.3) 33 (32.2)
25 yards 71 (70.4) 36 (35.2)
Yeah, we've got a 20 yard pool at the University of Chicago. Makes me
dizzy.
20 yards 88 44
Every so often the administration announces that a new pool is
scheduled to be built. (Hoo, hoo.)
-Jeff
--
Jeff Berger |USmail: Ryerson 256
ber...@cs.uchicago.edu | Artificial Intelligence Lab
PH: (312) 702-8584 | 1100 East 58th Street
FX: (312) 702-8487 | Chicago, IL 60637
Bruce Cheney
inbetween set activity at our Master's workouts.
Here is a line of thought that reconciles the issue.
"Lap" may have been originally used for circular or
oval courses (running track, horse tracks, etc.) and
usually means 1 circuit of the course that gets you
back where you started. But an alternate and still
consistent definition might be a traversal of the
whole course a single time.
So a "lap" on a looped course gets you back to where
you started. But a "lap" on a point-to-point course
just means that you traveled the course once, and
doesn't even concern direction.
If you use this definition, a "lap" and a "length"
in a swimming pool are THE SAME THING! They are both
equal to one length of the pool.
I challenge any one who disagrees with this to an email
race of 4 laps freestyle in a 25 yd pool. Each swimmer
uses his/her own definition. Fastest time wins big bucks.
Bruce Cheney
Brian Hunt
>and lengths. A lap is defined as a round trip, so one lap is equal to two
>lengths of any pool (down and back). So, to complete a mile swim you'd have to
>go 33 lengths, or 16 1/2 laps.
I am curious what most people out there think of when they hear "lap"
in the context of a swimming pool. I agree that "lap" = 2 "lengths"
makes sense in the abstract, but I grew up (just swimming in a summer
league, mind you) using and understanding "lap" to mean one length; in
fact, the only person I ever recall using the word "length" was the
starter at a meet. And for that matter, there's really no great need
for a word that means "2 lengths". In any case, I doubt I'll ever
shake the definition I grew up with, but as I grow older I find it to
be a common obstacle in communication. (Of course one can always just
talk in terms of the distance swum, which is what we generally did way
back when.)
Note that I am NOT trying to start an argument, I'm just curious what
most people take "lap" to mean in this context.
Brian Hunt
bh...@critical.nswc.navy.mil
Charlie Cockrell
I agree - I've always thought of a "lap" as 1 length - most competitive
swimmers do. When swimming a long race, the counters are at the
opposite end of the starting blocks and the numbers they flash go from
1,3,5, etc... Also, I know 1650 yards isn't quite a mile (nor is 1500
meters), but we always referred to those events as "the mile" for
simplicity.
--
Charlie Cockrell VV VV 1991 Men's Soccer Champs.
NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va. VV VV 1992 Men's NIT Champions
U.Va. School of Engineering, Class of 1990 VV VV 1991 Women's ACC BB Champs.
(These are my opinions only) VVV
Charlie Cockrell
>I am curious what most people out there think of when they hear "lap"
>in the context of a swimming pool. I agree that "lap" = 2 "lengths"
>makes sense in the abstract, but I grew up (just swimming in a summer
>league, mind you) using and understanding "lap" to mean one length; in
>fact, the only person I ever recall using the word "length" was the
>starter at a meet. And for that matter, there's really no great need
>for a word that means "2 lengths". In any case, I doubt I'll ever
>shake the definition I grew up with, but as I grow older I find it to
>be a common obstacle in communication. (Of course one can always just
>talk in terms of the distance swum, which is what we generally did way
>back when.)
>
The USS rule book states "length" in every instance and generally when the
starter announces the number of laps/length, he says "...xxx *lengths* of
the pool..." or simply announces the distance. (USS rules state that he/she
must announce the distance and stroke and inform the field if the event
is a "gun-lap" event, that's all.) This generally avoids any confusion.
But, as I posted earlier, I (and most other competitive swimmers I know)
use the terms "lap" and "length" interchangably. This probably comes
just by hearing coaches use this terminology so often and as you point out,
swimmers are more likely to count "lengths" when swimming. I instinctively
think of a 1000 yard freestyle as 40 laps because when I swam this event
in a meet, the counters went from 1 to 39. I don't think
there's really a correct or incorrect definition, but it's just part
of the slang used in the sport. (Just like "freestyle" has come to mean
"crawl" - this has also confused some non-competitive swimmers).
Mark Allmen
>Arguing the "lap vs length" issue is a favorite
>inbetween set activity at our Master's workouts.
>Here is a line of thought that reconciles the issue.
>"Lap" may have been originally used for circular or
>oval courses (running track, horse tracks, etc.) and
>usually means 1 circuit of the course that gets you
>back where you started. But an alternate and still
>consistent definition might be a traversal of the
>whole course a single time.
>So a "lap" on a looped course gets you back to where
>you started. But a "lap" on a point-to-point course
>just means that you traveled the course once, and
>doesn't even concern direction.
>
>If you use this definition, a "lap" and a "length"
>in a swimming pool are THE SAME THING! They are both
>equal to one length of the pool.
Wait a minute. During workout you swim down on one side of the lane
and swim back on the other. So a it takes two lengths to complete
the course. So "lap" and "length" are different in this case. Note
however that during a race you swim down the center of the lane so
in this case "lap" and "length" are the same.
Also note that I post this as a joke and should not be taken seriously.
--Mark Allmen
------
Sandia National Laboratories Phone: (510) 294-1248
P.O. Box 969. ORG 8351 Email: mca...@sandia.llnl.gov
Livermore, CA 94551-0969
Steve Goldfield
#>
#>In previous postings, people have been discussing how many laps in an
#>olympic size pool constitute a mile. One mile = 5280 feet = 1760 yards =
#>1609 meters. A true olympic-size pool is 50 meters long (i.e. one length
#>= 50 meters), so to do a mile you'd have to swim 32.186 lengths of the pool.
#>
#>A couple of things cloud the issue. One is the perceived equivalence of laps
#>and lengths. A lap is defined as a round trip, so one lap is equal to two
#>lengths of any pool (down and back). So, to complete a mile swim you'd have to
#>go 33 lengths, or 16 1/2 laps.
A lap is not a round trip; it means the same thing as a length.
If you swim in a race, the starter will say something like,
500 yards, 20 laps (in a 25-yard pool). The confusion comes
in because on a track you start and end a lap at the same place.
In a pool you finish a lap at the other end from where you
start. Certainly such definitions are arbitrary, but in the
more than 30 years since I first started swimming in
competition, a lap has always been one length.
Steve Goldfield
Richard Whitney
track, it means the lapper has gotten so far ahead he comes from
behind and passes the lappee. In a pool, to get lapped, the lapper
has to accumulate two extra lengths to pass the lappee. Hence,
one lap = two lengths.
[I was always puzzled about the correct terminology. Thanks to
reading this newsgroup, the need to help other confused souls
produced this blinding flash of insight, which I humbly offer
to this readership.]
Remember, dead fish can't swim.
Richard Whitney
USC-Information Sciences Institute
Douglas S. Lindblad
coc...@shab06.larc.nasa.gov (Charlie Cockrell) writes:
> In article <bhunt.706379458@critical> bh...@critical.nswc.navy.mil (Brian
> Hunt) writes:
>> starter at a meet. And for that matter, there's really no great need
>> for a word that means "2 lengths". In any case, I doubt I'll ever
>> shake the definition I grew up with, but as I grow older I find it to
>> be a common obstacle in communication. (Of course one can always just
> But, as I posted earlier, I (and most other competitive swimmers I know)
> use the terms "lap" and "length" interchangably. This probably comes
> just by hearing coaches use this terminology so often and as you point out,
> swimmers are more likely to count "lengths" when swimming. I instinctively
We also say things like "swimmer A just lapped B" when (usually during a
long race) A has traveled two lengths further than B in the same time. But
at the same time, 1 lap = 1 length and 1 mile = 1650 yd = 1500 m.
Inconsistent? Yes. Change it? Not likely.
In article <BoK58...@scd.hp.com> sch...@scd.hp.com (John Schmitz) writes:
>gw...@andrew.cmu.edu (George J. Woyansky) writes:
...
>definition would only be 33 laps. This is somewhat irrelevant
>anyway; a 1650 is a 1650 is 1650 is a very long race...
Reminds me of our cheer for the milers: "One.. six .. five .. OH NO!"
It's gets more interesting when you do the 'triple crown': the mile (or
1000), 500, 200 fly.
Yes, in the same meet.
No, I'd rather do 400 IMs. Just for fun.
--
Doug Lindblad (lind...@owlnet.rice.edu)
Rice University
Judge Raz
>definition would only be 33 laps. This is somewhat irrelevant
>anyway; a 1650 is a 1650 is 1650 is a very long race...
And a mile is a mile. End of discussion.
Judge Raz.
redm...@unix1.tcd.ie | ~~~ | You got nobody now you want my soul
Donncha Redmond | o-o | Now can't have none of that
National Swim Team | ^ | Tell her whatta say Mace
Ireland | `-' | Say no go -- De La Soul
Judge Raz
>is a "gun-lap" event, that's all.) This generally avoids any confusion.
What's a gun-lap event?
Judge Raz.
Charlie Cockrell
>
>What's a gun-lap event?
>
>Judge Raz.
Under USS rules, any freestyle event 400 yards or meters or longer (with
the exception of a 400 meter freestyle in a 50 meter pool) is a
gun-lap event. The starter fires a gun over the lane of the lead swimmer
when he/she has two lengths plus 5 yards/meters to go.
Charlie Cockrell
>
>We also say things like "swimmer A just lapped B" when (usually during a
>long race) A has traveled two lengths further than B in the same time. But
>at the same time, 1 lap = 1 length and 1 mile = 1650 yd = 1500 m.
>
>Inconsistent? Yes. Change it? Not likely.
You're absolutely right - it is inconsitent. But, probably not likely
to change.
>It's gets more interesting when you do the 'triple crown': the mile (or
>1000), 500, 200 fly.
Brings back some painful memories. :-) I used to swim mostly distance
freestyle, breaststroke and IMs. But, one of my coaches had a rule that
everyone in the senior group had to swim every event at least once in a
season. So, I had to suck it up and swim the 200 fly.
>No, I'd rather do 400 IMs. Just for fun.
Given the choice of a 400 IM or a 1650 Free - I'll take the 1650.
Being a breaststroker/Freestyler, I always had to play catch-up
with the rest of field.
George J. Woyansky
This is only one of the many follow-ups to a previous posting of mine in
which I wrote that a lap is equal to 2 lengths. I also swam competitively
and as many people pointed out, the terms lap and length are often
interchanged when referring to the number of times you must go across the
pool to travel X distance.
Since the original FAQ was "How many laps in an olympic-sized pool is a
mile?" (Or something very close to that), I thought that it was important
to distinguish between the lap and length. In fact, conflicting answers
were given - one person said 32 laps (presumably using 1 length = 1 lap)
and another said 16 laps (using 1 lap = 2 lengths). Not all people reading
this bboard swim competitively, and consequently might not know that laps
and lengths are sometimes synonomous. I was merely trying to eliminate any
ambiguity.
It's easy to imagine people reading the answers and swimming 16 lengths or
64 lengths of the olympic pool. After all, a lap often means a round trip
(as I originally said), and using the reply that 32 laps = 1 mile would
give 64 lengths. Similarly, using 1 lap = 1 length, swimming 16 laps of an
olympic pool would be equivalent to swimming 16 lengths. So here we have
the possiblility of people swimming 1/2 mile, 1 mile, or 2 miles just
because of semantics. Granted, if you thought you swam a mile when you
truly swam 1/2 mile your time could be on par with the olympic mile
times...
My point is this: not everyone reading this bboard is a competitive
swimmer. I know of people who read this bboard looking for advice and
information that they haven't been able to find elsewhere. Making too many
assumptions about the background of the audience will drive away the novice
swimmers by confusing them, bboard usage will drop...
George Woyansky
Doctoral Student, Elect. and Comp. Eng. Department
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA
The opinions expressed above are mine and are not in any way connected to
the university.
Tim Sullivan
coc...@shab06.larc.nasa.gov (Charlie Cockrell) wrote this about "laps" vs. "lengths" (was Re: How long is a mile):
>
>The USS rule book states "length" in every instance and generally when the
>starter announces the number of laps/length, he says "...xxx *lengths* of
>the pool..." or simply announces the distance. (USS rules state that he/she
>must announce the distance and stroke and inform the field if the event
>is a "gun-lap" event, that's all.) This generally avoids any confusion.
>
I always say lenth for probably the same reason that the USS rule
book says lenth: to avoid confusion. If within a group everone uses
lap for one lenth, that is fine for the group. But when they try
to communicate with someone from another group that considers two lenths
as a lap, then we end up with threads like this in rec.sport.swimming.
I guess someone had to do it. I looked up lap in Webster's.
lap n 4 a: the act or an instance of moving once around a closed course
(as a racing track); also: the distance covered b: the act or an
instance of traversing the length of a straight course (as a swimming
pool); also: the distance covered
Interesting, not what I expected to find. The definition of lap with
respect to a swimming pool is the same as one length, not that you end
up where you started. It doesn't mean there will be any less confusion.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tim Sullivan
ti...@cci.com
Suzanne Roat,Chevron,(510)242-5313
>gw...@andrew.cmu.edu (George J. Woyansky) writes:
>>A couple of things cloud the issue. One is the perceived equivalence of laps
>>and lengths. A lap is defined as a round trip, so one lap is equal to two
>>lengths of any pool (down and back). So, to complete a mile swim you'd have to
>>go 33 lengths, or 16 1/2 laps.
>
>I am curious what most people out there think of when they hear "lap"
>in the context of a swimming pool. I agree that "lap" = 2 "lengths"
>makes sense in the abstract, but I grew up (just swimming in a summer
>league, mind you) using and understanding "lap" to mean one length; in
>fact, the only person I ever recall using the word "length" was the
>starter at a meet.
Ditto. And I started competitive swimming at 4 with AAU.
>Brian Hunt
>bh...@critical.nswc.navy.mil
Suzanne Roat
Richmond, CA
t...@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu
>The USS rule book states "length" in every instance and generally when the
>starter announces the number of laps/length, he says "...xxx *lengths* of
>the pool..." or simply announces the distance. (USS rules state that he/she
>must announce the distance and stroke and inform the field if the event
>is a "gun-lap" event, that's all.) This generally avoids any confusion.
"gun-lap" starts just before the last *lap*, i.e., two lengths of the pool.
As a verb -- when you are sharing a lane or are in an adjacent lane, you "lap"
or are "lapped" when one person has completed a whole *lap*, (i.e., two lengths
of the pool) more than the other. Also the dictionary defines a lap as one
circuit of a multiple circuit race. So I think the "lap = 2 length" supporters
are correct.
Charlie Cockrell
>or are "lapped" when one person has completed a whole *lap*, (i.e., two lengths
>of the pool) more than the other. Also the dictionary defines a lap as one
>circuit of a multiple circuit race. So I think the "lap = 2 length" supporters
>are correct.
Let me see if I can put an end to this thread.
There is *not* a correct or incorrect definition - the dictionary
is ambiguous. Some people use lap as 2 lengths, while others use
1 lap to mean 1 length. Most competetive swimmers will tell you that
one lap is one length and I think most of this thread has been those
of us who fit in this catagory pointing out to people that this is
generally how the term is used within the sport. To avoid confusion,
use the term "length".
Tim Sullivan
coc...@shab06.larc.nasa.gov (Charlie Cockrell) wrote this about "laps" vs. "lengths" (was Re: How long is a mile):
>
>the exception of a 400 meter freestyle in a 50 meter pool) is a
>gun-lap event. The starter fires a gun over the lane of the lead swimmer
>when he/she has two lengths plus 5 yards/meters to go.
Seems like they even get the definitions confused. No wonder noone
can decide what a lenght and a lap are!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tim Sullivan
ti...@cci.com
Steve Yelvington
coc...@shab06.larc.nasa.gov (Charlie Cockrell) writes ... ]
> Let me see if I can put an end to this thread.
Good luck! :-)
> There is *not* a correct or incorrect definition - the dictionary
> is ambiguous.
My dictionary isn't ambiguous at all; it defines a lap as a complete
circuit around a race track in a race consisting of more than one. It's
clear that the usage has to do with overlapping -- i.e., passing the point
from which you started. Most people who did not grow up in a USS swimming
program are going to think of a lap as a complete circuit and trip over
the lap-equals-length usage that is common in the competitive swimming
field.
But the purpose of a dictionary is to describe language, not to limit it.
As usage changes, dictionaries change. Since ``lap'' in a swimming context
means something different than what is specified in the dictionary, I have
to conclude that the dictionary is deficient. I'm tempted to print out
this whole thread and mail it off to the New World Dictionaries editorial
board.
This has been an interesting discussion. I'm married to a former
All-America swimmer, and I never realized until now that we didn't have a
common understanding of such a simple word.
---
Steve Yelvington Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota, USA
st...@thelake.mn.org umn-cs!thelake!steve
apl...@mala.bc.ca
> the exception of a 400 meter freestyle in a 50 meter pool) is a
> gun-lap event. The starter fires a gun over the lane of the lead swimmer
> when he/she has two lengths plus 5 yards/meters to go.
>
>
>
the country) for events over 400 meters where a timer rings a bell over
each competitor when (s)he has two lengths (1 lap) to go. Funny how a term
such as this can be used by so many with two meanings, yet, other than this
conference, I don't think I have every heard anyone question it in the 10
years I have been involved in swimming. I guess it is another example of
the importance of context for language interpretation. Pull it out of the
context and you see the ambiguity.
Ron
Steve Goldfield
#>track, it means the lapper has gotten so far ahead he comes from
#>behind and passes the lappee. In a pool, to get lapped, the lapper
#>has to accumulate two extra lengths to pass the lappee. Hence,
#>one lap = two lengths.
#>
#>[I was always puzzled about the correct terminology. Thanks to
#>reading this newsgroup, the need to help other confused souls
#>produced this blinding flash of insight, which I humbly offer
#>to this readership.]
#>
#>Remember, dead fish can't swim.
#>
#>Richard Whitney
#>USC-Information Sciences Institute
It would be nice if language were completely logical.
I'm sure, though, that asylums are full of people who
were driven to distraction by the way words are used.
You are certainly right that when you lap someone, you
are two lengths ahead. But it is also certainly true
that all competitive swimmers and coaches I've ever
spoken with equated a lap and a length. I see no reason
to change it now since it's completely arbitrary and in
wide use.
Steve Goldfield
Michelle Manes
|>
|> I am curious what most people out there think of when they hear "lap"
|> in the context of a swimming pool. I agree that "lap" = 2 "lengths"
|> makes sense in the abstract, but I grew up (just swimming in a summer
|> league, mind you) using and understanding "lap" to mean one length; in
|> fact, the only person I ever recall using the word "length" was the
|> starter at a meet.
Likewise (also in a summer league). My boyfriend insists that
"lap" = 2 "lengths", but he grew up in Mass. (I grew up in Calif.),
and he never swam in a league (I did for 12 years). So...we agree to
talk about different things when we say "lap" because we're both
too stubborn to admit the other might be right. :)
michelle
--
Michelle Manes | "What should I be when I grow up?"
ma...@bass.bu.edu | "Honest."
| -Robert M. Pirsig