EQUATORIAL GUINEA

Equatorial Guinea is Spanish-speaking, split between the mainland region of Río Muni and a handful of islands in the Gulf of Guinea — Bioko among them. It’s an unusual setup: Río Muni holds the vast majority of the country’s land, yet the capital sits across the water on Bioko, a small volcanic island. On Bioko alone, more than four local tribal dialects thrive alongside centuries of Bantu, Spanish, and Portuguese influence.

Run one of seven starts here — and for Roberto, it’s where everything started. The route runs through the neighborhood where his grandmother lived, where both of his parents were raised, and where he spent part of his own childhood. Six more countries follow, but the run begins where his story does.