Running With the Bulls in Pamplona

While on a trip to Europe a couple of years ago, I was able to tick off one of the things on my bucket list when I ran with the bulls at the San Fermin festival. I first heard about the event when I read Earnest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises which is set during the festival.

The running of the bulls is part of the San Fermin Fiesta, which takes place 6th – 14th July every year, in Pamplona in Spain’s Navarre region. The bullrun starts on the second day and takes place for the next eight days. The fiesta honours Saint Fermin, the first bishop of Pamplona who was beheaded in 303 AD on a missionary journey in France. The bullrun dates back to the 17th century.

Photo credit: Jborzicchi | Dreamstime.com

The bullrun starts at 8 a.m. with a firecracker to mark the release of six bulls and nine oxen which run through the streets of Pamplona to the bullfighting arena where later that day the bulls are killed. Up to 3,000 people run each day through the 825 meters of narrow streets to the arena. Most of the runners wear white trousers and a white t-shirt with a red bandana and red sash around their waist. Many people get hurt during the event and the last death was in 2009.

I did the bullrun on 8th July 2016. In the morning, just before 7 a.m., I went through one of the wooden barriers which guide the bulls along the route to the arena. The atmosphere was tense. Everyone was excited to be there, but we were also a little nervous. The bulls that take part in the event are bred for their fierceness and everyone has seen video footage of people getting gored by a bull’s horns while doing the run. The officials were keeping everyone at the beginning of the route. Thousands of people were packed into the narrow alleys like sardines in a tin. About 10 minutes before the start we were allowed to spread out and I found a place that I thought would be good about halfway along the route.

When the firecracker went off, and the bulls came out of the corral, a wave of fear seemed to go through the crowd. Some people started to run at a sprint, even though the bulls were still far away at the start of the route. When the bulls got near to where I was, everyone was running, pushing others, and trying to get out of the way. The first pack ran past so fast. I was disappointed that I couldn’t run along with the bulls. There were just too many people, but it wasn’t long before more bulls came charging past and I had to run to stay out of their way. Then all of a sudden, a bull was right behind me. I had to grab it by one of the horns to push myself out of its way.

I kept running and soon was at the end and ran into the arena. As the bulls came into the arena they ran straight through and were herded into a corral. Once all the bulls and oxen had entered the arena, the officials closed the doors and no one else could get in. After a while a bull was let out and came charging from the corral. People laid on the ground and the bull jumped over them and into the arena. Now the bull’s horns had rubber on the ends, so there was less of a risk of being gored for those crazy enough to be in the arena. The raging bull charged at us in the arena, catching some people with its horns and throwing them into the air. It was difficult to see where the bull was, because there were so many people there. Most people ran away from the bull, but I found it easier to just dodge out of its way and it would soon target on someone else. Then they let another bull into the arena. Dodging two bulls was stressful and I couldn’t stay in the middle of it for long.

Photo credit: Lee Eun Suk

So I survived running with the bulls. The rest of the festival was spent drinking from a wineskin and watching the bullfighting. I had a great time in Pamplona and I hope I get the chance to celebrate the festival again.

All photos used with permission.