Memories of Running of the Bulls

Memories of Running of the Bulls – 2017 San Fermín Festival Pamplona Spain.

It started 30 years ago when I first heard about the Running of the Bulls in Spain. I didn’t know that much about the Experience back then, just that it sounded really amazing and I wanted to do it “someday”. So it was put on my “Life List” and there it sat. Over the years as I expanded my list and checked things off – I returned to the Bulls every so often and learned a little more about it and what it really entailed. It was one of those things that stayed at the top of the to-do list, but difficult to achieve. It is at a specific time and at a specific location – 4,491 miles away.

But there it was – the Festival of San Fermín and the Running of the bulls in Pamplona Spain. Then the Experience of a Lifetime started to seriously develop. As it did the Bulls came to the top of the list and the “only” timestamp of the trip: July 6 – 14, 2017. Somehow get to Spain and Pamplona during that week. Done – keep it on track.

I embarked on the Experience May 5^th – two months from the start to Bulls. The countdown begins. This is really going to happen. But it is not easy to accomplish. First the cost – room rates skyrocket at that time, with a shared room costing at least $150 and up. So to deal with that, I stayed outside the City, in Arróniz for only $39 per night. But as I learned after arriving there is no bus service from that town and from Los Arcos, the closest town with bus service, some 16k away – the first bus does not arrive into Pamplona until 9:20am (long after the 8am start time).

My original thought was to go back and forth, check it out a couple of days – party like mad and do the run on the last day. Now w/o easy access, I would change direction and only go for the last day. Arrange a shared ride on BlaBla, the night before and would just sleep in a park or stay up all night. Which is exactly what happened, we arrived around 21:00 left the bags at Consigna in the Plaza de San Francisco for 4.60€. Then partied, ate, drank & danced till 4:00 – got a couple of hours of restless sleep – on a bench, in the park against a tree and on in grassy field. But it was worth it. The Festival was Amazing – the estimated attendance for the weeklong Festival is over 1,000,000 and I believe it. 90% of those attending are wearing the traditional white shirt and pants w/red waist sash & bandana. There are thrones of people in the street, music, dancing and drinking – crazy fun. Turn one corner and there is a band marching down the street. Turn another and there’s a Drum Circle or live concert. Another with life-size papier-mâché puppet figures.

I particularly like the Toro de Fuego (fire bull) that runs through the street, chasing kids and adults alike with fireworks shooting off the back of a fake bull. And then there were the main Fireworks!!! Every night at 11pm there is a Huge Fireworks display. This is the last 2:24 minutes of an 18 minute display – one of the most incredible I have ever seen (& I’ve seen a lot).  Check it out on my YouTube Channel…

Back to my Experience…

I learned that the six Bulls running were from the famous Puerto de San Lorenzo, de Tamames (Salamanca) Bull Ranch. And there I am the dream coming true. I’m doing it – I’m emotional, I’m silent, I’m in my own mind among the crowd. I can’t understand the language but it doesn’t matter. I walked the route last night all 875 meters of it. Not so bad – but a lot of uphill. Can I do it? I’m in good enough shape after walking @10k on average per day for two months? Will my shoes not slip, will I be able to get out of the way of a charging 1500lb Bull – not just 1 but 6? Will I be able to get out of the way of all the other runners? What if I fall, what if I get hurt, and what if I can’t continue my Experience? What if it starts raining again like it did last night? What if… doesn’t’ matter now – a hush comes over the crowd – everyone is silent. Completely silent and then we, the runners in the street, started chanting – what are we saying doesn’t matter – it’s rhythmic and at the end we yell three times. CHEERING – Everyone is Cheering, thousands and thousands are Cheering. Then we wait again – again silence – again we chant – again cheering. Now my heart is pumping – I’m part of something – a movement, a tradition. One more time for the chant and then we hear the first rocket burst in the air. We start to run – in mass, slowly at first (it’s still uphill). Then a second rocket bursts in the air – HERE COME THE BULLS. Now we run faster & my breathing is heavy and the adrenalin kicks in. I’m watching the people in front and every so often I glance backwards, quickly, for a glimpse of the Bulls. Here they come – I can hear the pounding of their hoofs – or is that my heart – don’t know, don’t care.

Here they come. The crowd splits in the middle I move to the right – I think it’s safer on that side as I see a slight curve ahead. I’m I right or wrong? Doesn’t matter – in seconds the bulls are beside me and then past me. Safe – yes safe, I did it. The moment of challenge came and went in seconds. Thirty years and what a rush – worth the time, the money, the effort. I conquered my fears and conquered the Bulls. I’m really breathing heavy – heaver then I thought and my heartbeat is echoing in my chest. Everyone has slowed down – then I hear the third rocket explode – the Bulls are in the Arena, then the fourth indicating it’s over – it’s over – for today. This all happens again – everyday of the festival. Tonight those Bulls will be fought by the Matadors in the Plaza de Toro’s . But this is my end – time to go the rendezvous point and collect my thoughts & I deserve drink.

But I just want to yell at the top of my lungs – YES!!!