2011 Streak 73/365: Of Canal Boats and Runners

2011 Streak 73/365: Walk 11.37 miles, Time 3hrs 50min, Weather - another springlike day huzzah!

As is be obvious I spend a lot of time by the canal and so I see plenty of canal boats. I have always I have always been struck by the similarity between these boats and runners.

Firstly in the same way as a runner has their own gait, shape, fitness level and ambition, each boat is customised to reflect its owners personality.

The great truth about running is that it is 'an experiment of one' (George Sheehan). Similarly each boat seems to be an individual experiment.

Most runners are self trained; they start out, from whatever motivation, have their own goals and their own way of approaching them. Many, many canal boats are maintained and hand-crafted by their owners according to their tastes and resources.

In the same way as there are speedy, sleek runners and those who are, ehmm, somewhat less speedy and somewhat less sleek, there are boats who gleam and look perfect and others that are ramshackle. 

So I should play the game of matching runners to boats. In this case I don't know whether I could do it. I don't think I have ever seen a boat looking so contingent (i.e. it may or may not be a proper boat). When I took this picture a white haired, old lady with a walking stick, was passing - but I don't think she would be too impressed by the comparison