Quote of the Week:
Really big people are, above everything else, courteous, considerate and generous -- not just to some people in some circumstances -- but to everyone all the time.--Thomas J. Watson
Leading Off: Boston Marathon Update
With less than six weeks to go until I run the Virtual Edition of the Boston Marathon, the day before at Fenway Park, I wanted to update everyone on how I'm doing.

  • HEALTH & FITNESS: So far, I haven't found any excuse not to run. My recovery after runs is going well, my diet is being professionally monitored, my shoes are holding out. I have started, earlier than usual, using an emery board on my toenails.

  • TRAINING RUN: Ran an impressive 15 miles on Saturday as a training run. This was the farthest I have ever done at one time. Boy do I need to get a hot tub at some point. For the Fitbit fans among you, I totaled more than 30,000 steps on Saturday.

  • ANONYMOUS: There was an anonymous $1,000 donation to the GivenGain Page that collects donations. Because I don't know who made the donation, I not only can't thank them, but might hit up someone who has already contributed. If you were generous enough to make such a spectacular donation, please send me an email so I can send you flowers or chocolates or something.

  • NUMBER 1: Partially as a result of the above donation, yours truly is now the leading fundraiser on the Boston Bruins Foundation Team for the Marathon. In case you missed my previous reference or are wondering why this non-profit? During my tenure as Executive Director for March of Dimes in New England, this Foundation was the most generous of all corporate supporters and made a huge impact on the health of moms and babies in our area. I'm just returning the favor in a much smaller way.

  • FRIDAY: My weekend is so busy this week, that I am going to do my long training run on Friday at Fenway Park. My goal is to run at least 16 miles which will be about 29 laps around the outside of the park.

  • EVENTBRITE: The link below will take you to a new Eventbrite page where you can get yourself a ticket to the post-race party at Loretta's Last Call on Lansdowne Street or the hospital waiting room at Beth Israel, whichever comes first. Since I am running 47 laps on October 10, tickets are available for $47.00. If you have already donated, sign up for the free tickets on the same page. If you are related to me, there is also a free ticket for you there as well.

  • SPONSORSHIPS: Here's the deal: I am going to raise the $10,000 for the Bruins Foundation that I committed to. In order to do that, I am not quite selling my soul, but close. I have agreed to run a lap with a...gulp.. New York Yankees T-Shirt in exchange for a $100 donation. I have 46 laps left to sell at $100 per lap. You can make that commitment on the Eventbrite page, and it comes with after party benefits.

  • LAPS: Some people have expressed an interest in running a lap or laps with me. Let me tell you: 47 laps and 26.2 miles is lonely, feel free to join me. If you plan to do so, please sign up on the Eventbrite site. Even you guys with bad knees can do a lap. I will be more than happy to walk for a bit. If you do sign up the only thing I ask is that you either make a donation or buy tickets to the event.
BOSTON MARATHON VIRTUAL EDITION UPDATE
Days until event: 38 (Gulp)
Fundraising Goal: $10,000
Dollars Raised for Boston Bruins Foundation: $5,395 (not counting the $15 check my mother gave me).
Number of Generous Donors: 20
Post Race Party: Loretta's Last Call
Attending Physician: Dr. Glenn Markenson
Official Photographer: Looking for a Good One
Long Training Run Last Week: 15 freakin' Miles
Free Coffee is Contagious
This story was originally published in August of last year, but as you can imagine, my training is taking up a lot of time. As a result, I'm taking the lazy way out by repeating this for those newer subscribers who have never read it and for the older subscribers who loved it.

If you are neither, skip it.

Know anyone under stress these days? Me neither. Lots of middle fingers being used on the road recently, but there is another trend going on, at least in my part of town.

As one of my personal habits to
  • minimize my stress,
  • feel good about myself, and to
  • maintain a positive perspective,
I try to make it a point to generally ‘let other cars in’ when I am driving.

That might mean flashing my lights to signal to another driver, or it might mean slowing down so that a car entering the highway can merge easier, or it could mean letting a truck change lanes in front of me, because it must be hard to change lanes in a tractor-trailer.

Now, don't get me wrong, I can deliver an artistically appropriate gesture to someone who has earned it. After all, I am from Massachusetts.

I had something happen to me in a Dunkin Donuts drive thru. It started me thinking about a way we could all make the world a better place, one coffee at a time. Deep, I know, but occasionally I do take a deep breath and think even deeper thoughts. I promise it won't happen very often.

The incident that triggered this unusual meditative state for me took place about six in the morning as I was on my way to Starbucks. Only kidding, on my way to Dunkin Donuts. (When I get a Starbucks gift card, I give it away to a friend named Melissa). No offense to Seattle coffee, but I grew up on Dunkin and I'm not sure how they legally call that other stuff 'coffee'.

As I approached the restaurant, I noticed that there was a car trying to make a difficult move across two lanes of traffic into the Dunkin parking lot from across the street. Without thinking, I flicked my lights twice to signal to the other car she was good to go, and she did, right into the drive thru lane ahead of me.

I did what everyone does in the drive thru lane while waiting: act bored, change the radio station and check email. When I finally arrived a the window after placing my order, I reached for payment, but the cashier told me ‘the woman ahead of you took care of it.’ Bang. 6:02 in the morning, in Rutland, Massachusetts and someone I can never thank, ‘took care of it.’
I started thinking about the dominos in this sequence of events:
  • First Domino. A minor act of courtesy, pretty much without thinking. When it happened, I probably felt kind of good, like my courtesy merit badge was getting closer.
  • Second Domino. A complete stranger said 'thank you' in a very cool way, to someone she will never see again. Cool.
  • Third Domino. I was pleased, at both the 100% discount and the thought. (Remember, it’s the thought that counts. But I did get free coffee).
  • Fourth Domino. She must have felt good the rest of the day because of HER actions. She knows she is a class act. I bet she had a great day.
  • Fifth Domino. I felt good the rest of the day too, because my act of courtesy was appreciated, (and secretly I knew I could turn the experience into this weblog).
  • Sixth Domino. I couldn't wait for my next time through the drive thru, I just had to pay for the car behind me and feel great, and I do it on a regular basis just for the heck of it.
  • Eighth Domino: After reading this, you might try it too?

The simple flick of headlights to let someone in became contagious. Better world, one coffee at a time.

While I won't claim ‘let someone in’ while you are driving and you'll get a free coffee, I can recommend that if you ‘let someone in’ while you are driving the world will be a better place, and you might get a free coffee.

If the next time you are in the drive thru, you try it and it feels good paying for the car behind you, let me know, because you can help make free coffee a better kind of contagious.
Postscript
After writing the first draft of this Weblog, my wife, with no idea of the subject, shared that when she was at Dunkin that morning, she had planned to pay for the person behind her in the drive through lane.

When she got to the window, she was shocked that the employee let her know the woman in front of her in line had paid for her order.

Back to back people got free coffee, imagine if that streak kept going? Free coffee is contagious.
Surprise Photo at the End
Roll Call
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The Roll Call of states and countries where readers reside: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Washington DC, Wisconsin plus Canada, Spain, Conch Republic, Australia and the United Kingdom
Reach Out or Reply:
Ed Doherty
774-479-8831
www.ambroselanden.com
ed-doherty@outlook.com
Forgive any typos please