Day 9 Part 1: Running With The Bulls

I'm woken up by flashlights and Lynzy yelling my name. I'm in a bit of a drunkin stooper and don't know where I am for a split second. Lynzy and I rush off to the bathroom and when I get back I have to quickly put my pants and shoes on, grab everything else and run to the bus partially dressed.

Everyone pretty much sleeps the whole hour bus ride into Pamplona. I awake and we're in the underground parking garage all filtering out. The anticipation is high in the air for most because we know what were all about to do. We get to a stopping point where the guides tell the ones who want to run to go with Moose and Smash (tour leaders) one way and the others to head to the arena. We get to the pin where the bulls are released and stand in the crowd, crammed in the street. Theres a smell of stale sangria, fresh from the day before, and cattle shit in the air. It's shoulder to shoulder of just standing and waiting for an hour and a half. The bulls are to be released at 8 AM and at about 40 min out, my large crowd anxiety starts to kick in.

I'm looking up in the sky, breathing slow and deep trying to keep my calm. Closing my eyes and picturing myself some where with lots of open spaces. the closer the clock struck to eight, the higher and higher my anxiety got. I'm about to loose my shit when a nice break. In the crowd appears and I can breath. then about ten minuets too early, a lot of people started to move down the street. nerves start to kick in now that people are starting to move and the thought that six massive bulls, each weighing 1600 lbs, are about to be charging down the streets towards me.

BOOM! The sound of the first cannon goes off, signifying that the bulls have been released. A second BOOM sounds, indicating that the last bull has left the pin and all bulls are stampeding. It's total and complete chaos and insanity. It a battle for your life. You turn around for a split second and you could get tripped and wind up getting trampled by the thousands behind you. You go too slow, you'll get pushed down. I was running near the buildings when all of a sudden I get shoved into a corner and smack my head on the corner of the of a brick building. I break loose of the hold and continue running a little further.

The thunderous sound of the stampeding bulls right behind me will never leave my memory banks. Next to sky diving, it was the biggest adrenaline rush of my life. I see an opening on the side and jump in it right as the bulls rush past me. I hop back in the streets and chase after the bulls, following them right into the arena. Jogging through the open gates, I look around and the stands are filled with people cheering and screaming. It was much like when Russell Crow first walked into the coliseum.

All the bull runners are scattered over the sand pitted arena. When the six main bulls enter the arena they are immediately herded into holding pins under the audience. Once all the runners have entered the arena they close the gates behind them and every ten minuets they release a ragingly pissed smaller bull into the runners. This goes on for about an hour. The first bull is released. I'm standing with Smash and Lisa, a beautiful blonde Australian in my campsite (aside the fact that she was Australian, it was a bit of a turn on that she ran with the bulls), by the wall near where the bulls are being released.

The bull bucks and charges everyone in its line of sight. Runners from all angles are comping up behind the bull to give it a good smack on the ass. When running up to the bulls, you are not to touch it on the tail or the horns. If you do you'll be greeted with a literal beat down by any locals nearest you. Women are not necessarily allowed to run with the bulls. It's looked down on now, but it's been a mans tradition since the dawn of its birth. There are women who run, Smash and Lisa for example, but they stick to a guy they know and stay out of harms way. All that said, there was one girl who ran up to the bull and slapped it in the ass. After her successful ass slapping, she turns around to encounter the angry fist of a Spaniard right in her face. She falls to the ground and is carried off by two fellow guy runners.

They bring out one of the big bulls to heard in the smaller one. The second they go back into the pin, people swarm the ground at the opening of the gates. Guys kneeled down in the fetal position in lines. Their reason for doing this is so that when the next bull gets released it will jump over them like a track hurdler. As much as I would have liked to do it, I don't know how well I'd handle a bull charging me head on while in the fetal position on the ground.

The black bulls were the most angered of the bulls released. Bucking and head butting people left and right. ONe of them starts charging my direction. The people around me and myself all jump on the wall, but yet he still seems to be headed for me. All I do is scream "OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD!" with Smash yelling at me, "STOP SCREAMING!!" Well what the hell else was I supposed to do? All of a sudden a slap to the ass and the bull's attention is turned else where before any damage can be done.

Finally the bulls stop coming, the gates open and the runners start filtering out to meet up with their friends who were watching in the stands. We meet up with the rest of the campers and hop on the bus back to San Sebastian. Unfortunately it was cloudy when we returned to the campsite so going to the beach was a no go. Most everyone began to nap.

My tent consisted of two sleeping mats, my luggage and the luggage (backpack) of someone else. I met my roommate once but haven't seen him since. It was a bit uncomfortable in my tent, as far as what I had to sleep with, but I've slept in worse. The sun comes out and it begins to heat up. I take my sleeping mat out side and catch some rays. Setting a trend, other follow my lead and join me in the sun.