How Many Laps Makes a Mile When Swimming in Your Inground Pool?

Would you rather walk a mile or swim a mile?

If you’ve got a pool, the answer’s probably obvious. Swimming is a zero-impact and heart-healthy way to burn calories. It’s fun and efficient, especially when you can do it all in the comfort and privacy of your own backyard.

An hour of swimming burns about 570 calories for someone who weighs 150 pounds. By comparison, an hour of walking would burn about 240 calories.

You might walk a few miles in that hour… but can you swim a mile in an hour?

There are a few ways to know. You can use one of our favorite pool fitness and swim-tracker apps, or you could tally up your laps and calculate your progress towards your First Mile, and for every other mile, too.

What is the First Mile?

The First Mile is an industry first. We’ve crunched the numbers, using the exact interior length measurements for every pool we offer, to help every current and prospective River Pools pool owner track their swim distance.

All you have to do is keep track of your laps and add them up however you like. When you hit your First Mile, share your success on social media with the hashtag #RPFirstMile to show the world how much fun and fitness you can have in a fiberglass pool.

If you know your model number, look it up in the table below. If you don’t have your model number handy, scroll further down to see our model types, which can help you figure out which River Pools model you’ve got in your backyard. Here’s how many laps you’ll need to swim to make a mile in the water, for every model we offer:

The First Mile in rectangular pools

River Pools offers several rectangular pool models. Check out the overhead views of each model type to find yours:

D Series

The River Pools D Series rectangular design features a spacious tanning ledge, an open interior, and bench seating at the deep end.

The D Series comes in five sizes. Here’s how many laps you’ll need to reach your First Mile in each size:

• D24: 343 laps
• D28: 269 laps
• D32: 231 laps
• D36: 191 laps
• D40: 167 laps

The R Series

The River Pools R Series design has an open rectangular interior, and it includes bench seating at both the shallow and deep ends, as well as cascading wedding-cake-style entry steps.

The R Series comes in six sizes. Here’s how many laps you’ll need to reach your First Mile in each size:

• R20: 275 laps
• R24: 253 laps
• R28: 215 laps
• R32: 185 laps
• R36: 161 laps
• R40: 144 laps

The M Series

The River Pools M Series rectangular design boasts the most open interior of any model we offer. You can swim the full length of the pool with ease, and there’s a spacious tanning ledge with room for a lounge chair near the entry steps. The M Series also features a bench seating area spanning its entire length on one side, with plenty of space for pool party guests and family members to cool off on a hot day.

The M Series comes in three sizes. Here’s how many laps you’ll need to reach your First Mile in each size:

• M25 (coming soon!):  219 laps
• M30: 182 laps
• M35: 155 laps

The T40

The River Pools T40 model combines popular features of the R Series (shallow and deep end bench seats and cascading entry steps) with the deepest deep end of any fiberglass pool model. You can swim laps, make a splash into eight and a half feet of water, or just kick back and relax on a hot day.

You’ll need to swim 140 laps for your First Mile in a T40.

The X36

The River Pools X36 model is the perfect pool for homeowners who want a pool that offers a bit of everything with a top-notch overall experience. It’s built with an integrated spa and spillways (1), a spacious tanning ledge (2), and deep end bench seating (5).

You’ll need to swim 194 laps for your First Mile in an X36.

The L36

The River Pools L36 model is our Roman end-style design, for homeowners who want a classic look with plenty of open space. The L36 has enough tanning ledge space for multiple loungers, elegant cascading steps on either side of the ledge, and spacious bench seating area spanning the full width of the deep end.

You’ll need to swim 208 laps for your First Mile in an L36.

The First Mile in freeform pools

River Pools offers two freeform pool models. Which one is in your backyard?

C Series

The River Pools C Series has something for everyone. Its sleek curves can elevate any backyard, and its shallow-end tanning ledge can easily accommodate a lounger. Kick back on spacious bench seating in the deep end, or kick your way to your First Mile in the C series’ wide-open interior.

The C Series comes in two sizes. Here’s how many laps you’ll need to reach your First Mile in each size:

• C35: 183 laps
• C40: 155 laps

The I Series

The River Pools I Series packs a lot of fun into a stylish package. The two base packages (pictured) offer wide-open tanning ledges and sleek bench seating areas on each side of the deep end. Each I Series model can also be installed with integrated spas, which add round spas with spillways next to the tanning ledge (the spas would be located at the top left in the photo above).

The I Series comes in two sizes (lengths) with two spa variants. Here’s how many laps you’ll need to reach your First Mile in each I Series pool:

• I25: 262 laps
• I25S: 329 laps
• I30: 210 laps
• I30S: 277 laps

Ready to start swimming your First Mile (and more)?

If you’ve got one of our pools installed in your backyard, get in touch with us to find out how you can join the First Mile club this year! If you haven’t gotten a pool yet… let’s talk! The sooner you start, the sooner you can start swimming your First Mile.

If you're shopping around for a fiberglass pool, feel free to take a look at our catalog of models, visit our extensive video library, try out our pool cost calculator, or request custom pricing from an independent installer near you using the button below.

Edit: This article was updated on January 18, 2024.