distance

Question
 how much time should i put in a day to train  for a 500 meter swim?and is there somthin i can wear to tell me how fast im going?
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-----Question-----
how many laps is it to swim 500 yards in a olympic size pool?
-----Answer-----
It is 9 laps plus 7meters in a 50m(olympic size) swimming pool.  In competitions, like the olympics, they don't swim a 500, they swim 400m.  
They also swim 800m not 1000, and 1500 not 1650.
Hope this helps,
George

Answer
You should put in an hour and a half to 2 hours of training per day.  The best way to keep track of your pace is with a pace clock, most pools have them on the walls of the building.  It's too hard keep track of your pace with a waterproof watch.  It's easier to finish a lap/distance and glance at the pace clock to compare times of each segment.
Hope this helps,
George