Running with Bulls in Spain

While studying abroad with the Oxford program in England, my friend Ben and I decided to take a weekend trip to Pamplona, Spain to attend the world renowned San Fermin festival, otherwise known as Running with the Bulls.

The festival takes place every year from July 7 to 14 with the run starting each morning at 8 a.m. I went into the run knowing only a few of the basic principles.

The participants, consisting of mostly young men and a few brave women, run in front of bulls which are let out of a pen and led through the confusing streets of the city and into the local bull ring.

Half-asleep and ready to pass out, we dragged ourselves off the bus and into the streets of Pamplona. To our amazement, there were thousands of people roaming the streets, like zombies, at 6 o'clock in the morning.

Logic dictated that we follow the crowds; and that's exactly what we did. Technically, there really was no way we could get lost, since we had no idea where we were going in the first place.

Standing in a sea of white-clad Spaniards, we discovered that quite unknowingly, we were already in the middle of the run.

Apparently there is no starting place for the run and everyone just has to be within the cordoned off streets before 7:30 am. Convoys of police men flowed into the streets, along with festival workers putting up fences to seal the streets off. Cleaning crews and trucks hit the streets in an effort to rid the ankle-deep trash that was littered about. Thousands of spectators filled the balconies and areas along the streets.

Along the way, we met Americans from different parts of the country, and learned that one of the most hazardous parts of the run was a dangerous 90 degree turn where the bulls slip and fall towards the opposite end of the turn.

I was pretty calm at this point, not really realizing the significance of the event that was to come. Ben and I split a can of Red Bull to make sure we would be on our feet. The run was drawing closer and people in the streets could be seen stretching their muscles.

I said good luck to all the runners I had met and we went to go find our spot to begin the run. After arguing for a bit, we decided to start at the end of the first street before the first turn. We settled on this mainly so we could see the bulls come out of their pen at the bottom of the street and make their way up towards us.

There was about five minutes until the first shot would be fired, which let everyone know that the bulls would be let out of the pen. Standing there looking down the street waiting for the shot to be fired I now started to think about the importance of what I was about to do.

The runners started chanting a traditional song; the mood was absolutely terrific.

Seconds remained, and I said a short prayer under my breath, asking for the very least to be alive after the run.

Crowds of people started to walk up the street, away from the pen, and then suddenly the first shot was fired. Everyone picked up their pace and were now jogging. Moments later the second shot was fired and I was waiting around to get an actual glimpse of the bulls that were now in the street.

Seeing the rush of people pass me I finally felt the fear that people spoke of, overpower me and I zoned out everyone around me. This was just between the bulls, the cobblestone streets, and me.

Before I knew it, I glimpsed the mammoth creatures everyone was running away from. I stared in disbelief at the massive bulls as they ran along side me.

I couldn't keep up with them and was blocked from running behind them with the heavy police barricade. This is done as the bulls are distracted by those running behind them, and they can turn around wreak havoc.

A horde of people started congregating near the blockade, some jumped the fence and left, and others just started to disperse in every direction. I was totally confused, but assumed it was over.

All of the sudden, hundreds of runners pushed up against the fence, crushing my knees against one of the planks, while a second herd of bulls just rammed through the crowd, creating panic and chaos everywhere.

The street was cordoned off, so where all of these people supposed to go?

Luckily, the gates were lifted, and the bulls and runners ran out. I jumped and started running behind them, no longer scared, but excited.

I made it out alive as the bulls were long gone. Soon, I heard the third shot go off, indicating that the bulls were now in the ring.

Avoiding being trampled, dodging the bulls at the precise moment, and basically evading death itself, all within a few minutes-what an adrenaline trip.

I discovered that bull running and Tech were pretty similar. Even though I survived the run, unscathed and fully intact, I can't say I'd do it again. Atleast for sometime.