Swim Friends

I drag my feet on joining our new Tokyo swim team - "Swim Friends".
Not because of the name (yes, Swim Friends is hardly the most
fear-inspiring swim team name, but I could understand that most of the
swim training market is young children).

No, it has taking me forever to join the swim team because: (1) I am
so destitute and increasingly parsimonious about paying for swim
workouts -- "my running and cycling teams do not charge $20 every
track session" I grumble, (2) I am lazy about going to swim outside
the comfort and convenience of Roppongi Hills Spa, and (3) Joining
swim squad requires a money transfer by bank ATM which is such a
complex ordeal for me in Japan.

But I need to prepare for the upcoming Kamakura 5k swim, and so on
Tuesday I journey to the public pool at Sendagaya. At 2:30 in the
afternoon the pool is blissfully empty.

After only a few warm-up laps our coach, Steve, starts providing me
useful feedback - (brush my shoulder against my ear on strokes to make
sure I am narrower and creating less surface resistance in the water,
try to kick more vertically, etc...).

Moreover, just having someone asking about my stroke count per lap and
breathes per stroke is valuable. At this point I can manage to do the
50-meters in less than 55 strokes and breathe on every 3rd or 4th
stroke.

I realize I should have joined Swim Friends earlier.