Bond Almand is, put simply, built different.
At age 9, Almand told his dad, who competed in Ironman events, he wanted to cycle the equivalent of the bike leg with him in the lead-up to a race.
For those playing at home, the bike leg of an Ironman event is 112 miles (180km).
On Almand’s 11th birthday, he ran 45 miles (72km) on the trails of the Smoky Mountains National Park, situated on the border between Tennessee and North Carolina.
Now aged 22 and a recent graduate from Dartmouth University, Almand has four world records to his name and is in the midst of adding a fifth.
The challenge? Ride to every NFL stadium across the United States in 65 days.
Attached to the back of his bicycle is a NFL ball, which he will deliver to Lumen Field in Seattle for the opening game of the 2026 season between the Seahawks and the New England Patriots on September 10.
The final stop is especially fitting given Almand is a Seahawks fan, having been born in Seattle.
And all throughout the 11,000-mile (17,702km) journey, which is sponsored by Extreme Networks, he plans to inspire children to get active through NFL Play 60 events.
Almand spoke to talkSPORT.com after he’d cycled through Florida, where he made pit stops at the homes of the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars.
It couldn’t have been a more physically taxing start to the journey given the harsh conditions that encompass a Florida summer.
“The temperature was 95 to 100 degrees (35-37 degrees Celsius) every single day,” Almand, who resides in Maryville, Tennessee, said.
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What world records does Bond Almand hold?
. The fastest north-south crossing of America on a bicycle (2025)
. The fastest ride of the 14,000-mile Pan-American Highway (2024)
. The fastest north-south crossing of South America on a bicycle (2024)
. The fastest north-south crossing of North America on a bicycle (2024)
“But it was so humid that the heat index got to 110 (43), 115 (46) degrees.
“I was sweating about two litres an hour. Over the course of the day, I was losing 40 pounds of water weight.
“So every single moment that I can, I’m drinking. Then when I get to the hotel at night, I just have to continue to guzzle water, even if I feel sick.”
Diet of champions?
Along with the constant need to take on fluids, Almand consumes ‘8,000-10,000 calories a day’.
“I kind of have to eat non-stop,” Almand added.
“It’s kind of exciting because I get to eat a lot of good food. But I’m also eating a lot of junk food too, because most of my stops are at gas stations.”
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Given the time crunch, Almand has to chow down a fair amount of food whilst riding his bike, adding an extra layer of difficulty.
But the 22-year-old wouldn’t have it any other way, especially because the method of transportation allows him to see and taste America like never before.
“I don’t think there’s a better way to see the world than by bike,” Almand said.
“It’s a fantastic way to explore and what better way to really know my own country. I’ve travelled extensively in the US before, but this really connects all the dots.”
Ridin’ solo
As if the physical struggles of the task weren’t enough, Almand is tackling the challenge all on his own.
That means there will be no support crew when he embarks on a gradual climb from Minneapolis to Denver, famously known as the Mile High City.
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While in Colorado, Almand will cycle as high as 12,000 feet (3.7km) above sea level.
The altitude will have his lungs begging for more oxygen, but the 22-year-old insists he will manage just fine.
However, a support crew will join Almand when he goes through the desert given temperatures can crack 130 degrees (54 degrees Celsius) and he’ll have stretches of 100 miles with no services.
Although Almand will welcome the addition of a few friendly faces once he reaches that stretch of treacherous tarmac, there’s something he enjoys about being on the road all by himself.
In fact, the 22-year-old ‘can’t really do without’ the isolation, showcasing a level of mental strength few can associate with.
“You’re out there on the road all day, you’re by yourself the whole time, so you have to be really comfortable with your thoughts,” Almand said.
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“I think you really have to ground yourself in the reality of what you’re doing and really prepare for that and come to terms with yourself, however that looks.
“For me, it’s gotten to the point where I’ve become so accustomed to the mental isolation and suffering that I can’t really do without it. Like, I need that in my life.
“If I go more than a couple of weeks without going on a long bike by myself, then I start to become really unhappy.”
The Bond that binds us
Almand’s enjoyment of long solo cycles does come at a cost, admitting his adventures are ‘really selfish’ and leaving him feeling like he’s ‘not really contributing to society’.
It’s why, when embarking on these grand adventures, he loves to have a bigger cause driving him on.
This time around, it’s all about encouraging children to be physically active, especially in a digital age where it’s alarmingly easy to become glued to a screen for hours on end.
“Getting people outside is awesome, because I think that’s one of our big problems here in the US for our younger generations,” Almand said.
“If we can get people out biking and healthier, that’s awesome.”
