From a very early age, Neil loved animals. He was only a few days old when he was introduced to Max, an extremely loving golden retriever, who was more than happy to help clean up any extra food off Neil’s face.
Animals were always a central part of Neil’s life through the years, including cats Regis, Bennie and Luna, and dogs Dexter and Jeter. However, on a family vacation to Yellowstone National Park in 2016, Neil first saw a Bison in the wild, and something just clicked. Was it their strength? Quiet demeanor? Loyalty to their herd? Probably a little bit of all those. Whatever it was, it stuck with him forever. Future family trips would attempt to include opportunities to see Bison in the wild. When his family was in the middle of a “Bison Jam” in Grand Teton National Park, it was no surprise to find that Neil was mesmerized. They pulled over to a safe place and watched a herd numbering in the hundreds slowly graze their way into the distance.
One way to describe Neil’s track and cross-country career, he resembled a Bison: quiet and strength. Neil wasn’t the loudest athlete on the field but was one of the fastest (quiet). If he wasn’t the fastest on a particular day, he quietly went to work to improve (strength). Lastly, he always cheered on his teammates (loyalty).
When his family was developing the vision for Run With Neil, they knew the Bison must be included. Having a Bison as part of the logo was a must have.
Run With Neil is all about inner strength, much like a Bison.