If you're looking for something to really get the adrenalin pumping, why not try out-running a bunch of 600 pound bulls. In mid July 95 during a surf trip around the European coastline I dropped into Pampalona to take part in the famous bull running festival, in which thousands of nutters (and myself) ran down a stretch of winding streets, being chased by about 10 angry bulls.
The event starts at 8:00am, every morning for a week, where if you are taking part you find yourself a spot within the crowd. The run starts in a stretch of old style Spanish street between two tall buildings, loaded with locals making the sign of cross on their foreheads down to the fearless participants below. As you can imagine, it's slightly unnerving and would be more so if the skin-full of red wine and cola, dancing & no sleep, hadn't numbed the nerves a tad. It's quite a sight to behold, if you can imagine a small version of the London Marathon, only with thousands of drunken Spaniards and tourists all dressed in white with red scarves. If you think it sounds like a death wish, it isn't, because you do get to protect yourself with a rolled up newspaper! Yes that will protect your butt cheeks from the impending doom of a bulls horn. Not!
Your position in the crowd determines your initial safety during the first part of the run. If you're right at the front you will most likely get into the arena before seeing a bull (as long as you stay on you feet). If you're at the back the bulls will definitely pass you. So for your first time its best to go near the front until you get the gist of what's going. We positioned are selves in the front 3rd.
The first gun is for everyone to start running. Running is a slight exaggeration as, if you do run, you will trip over the person in front of you. So you barely make a slow trot along with the rest of crowd. Then moments later the second gun sounds. The bulls are free and running, at full pelt I expect.
The course is 3/4 mile in total and goes from being totally surrounded by buildings with nowhere to escape, to open sections, which have been marked out by wooden barriers sunken into the ground. These are also pretty hard to escape over, as there are teams of spectators peering over and waiting to push the frantic and afraid back into the affray.
Chaos is about the best term to describe the run and that was without even seeing a bull on the course. You then run through the entrance to the arena, which is a concrete corridor about 50 feet long. This is the most dangerous spot and one you definitely don't want to get involved in a pile up here. Once through the entrance you run into the arena, a great way to see it for the first time and for the Life of Brian fans amongst you, a once-in-a-life-time opportunity to live out the gladiator scene for real. The bulls eventually appear, bringing you back to reality and run straight through the crowd into an enclosure at the back of the arena. Next "they" (the crazy perpetrators of the event who are obviously hell bent on killing or at least maiming the odd participant) let smaller, more energetic bulls out, one at-a-time, to cause some mayhem. These bulls have leather protectors on their horns to protect the crowd at least, meaning that if you do get charged you won't die, a slow and pain full death, but you might get thrown into the air a few feet and land on your head! The hard bit about this is that there are a thousand other people in the bull ring, which makes spotting the bulls very difficult. Suddenly the crowd in front of you parts to reveal a crazed bull running directly at you at full pelt, head down and closing fast. My natural instinct was to run and throw myself head first over the 6 foot high barrier. In a normal situation this would be seen as a reckless and dangerous stunt but considering the circumstances I felt it was a carefully considered life saving maneuver and one that meant I survived with everything but my pride intact!
Once everyone has got used to the smaller bulls, they let the, now rested, larger bulls out into the crowd, to shake things up-a-bit. This is obviously much more dangerous, as you can imagine, what could happen if one of these steps on your head. Luckily during our run there were no serious injuries (I think), but they do have severe injuries all the time, so don't take this past-time too lightly. The year that I ran an American chap aged 22 died and became one of the 15 death since 1924. In fact everyday they post pictures of that day's run for the participants to buy. Also all around the town there are pictures from the past, with some pretty sobering images of accidents that have happened. I suppose this is done to remind the runners that the worst thing that can happen is death! A pretty extreme sport all-in-all!
Tips for survival at the Pampalona - San Fermin
Try and familiarise yourself with the course before hand. Don't run before you have watched a run. Be aware that falling and being trampled by people is one of the main dangers. If you fall, stay down, cover your head & wait until an onlooker taps you on the shoulder. Its more dangerous to try and get up at this stage. Be aware that Callejon-Plaza de Toros and the end section of Cuesta de Santo Domingo are the most dangerous area. These spots have claimed a total of 12 lives over the years Stay tight to the corners as the bulls run wide. Don't be drunk and get some sleep. Even with this advice running the bulls at Pampalona can be extremely dangerous.
Written By Ben Simon
http://www.adventuresportsholidays.com
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