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Information or experineces or advice for Running of the Bulls?

I am planning on going to Pamplona sooner rather than later and racing the bulls. I will do this alone if I have to, but my boyfriend is planning on coming along for the run. I have probably been obsessed with the idea since reading Hemingway in middle school and watching Madonna's video for "Take a Bow" (okay, I am actually being serious about the Hemingway part).

Please tell me what I need to know about the event, the festival, the country and Pamplona. I have been to parts of Europe, but not Spain. I don't intend to run the whole thing as because of my petite size, I am not going to kid myself and think I could actually outrun a wild beast for that long, but the appeal of the complete chaos and panic I would feels in those couple yards would be completely worth the trip.

Has anyone else ever done this? What kinds of tips can you give me so I won't be gored to death or trampled? Also, I am thinking about doing this in 2008.

Hi. Yes, I have done it in Spain the bulls are runned in many places and different forms. San Fermin is the patron Saint of Pamplona, capital of Navarra, where they run the bulls during the fiestas (from the 7th of July till the 14th of July) of their patron San Fermin. Its the most famous maybe because Hemingway and several other Anglo-saxon writers visited, liked it, and wrote about it. And also because is one of the biggest and richest in ritual and folclore related to the Encierro.

The act of running the bulls is called "ENCIERRO" or the locking of the bulls. El Encierro, or Un Encierro, is the running of the bulls in general.

This tradition originated from an old need, during the old times when they would move the bulls from one place to other like they moved all animals, no trucks,across the country side just shepherds, (usually called Mayorales and they rode on horses and drived the bulls with long flat-pointed sticks) and bulls. The last kilometers before the city or village they where destined tothe bullfight, the younger lads and men, who beibng fiestas were quite drunk, would go out to wait for the bulls arriving as a herd and tease them so they run after them and into the "corral" faster.

Later they enjoyed it so much that when they started moving the herd by truck the encierros stopped and people demanded they become a ritual part of many of their fiestas.

Many places they run everyday the bulls that will be bull-fought in the afternoon, during every day of the feasts, through fields and street to the corral. This are the most tipical as so in this way they do it also during San Fermin fiestas.

Other places just release a bull in the street, some with a cord some without, and they run the bull some hours, there are even 'places where they wall the village with wood fences and released the bulls to the streets for a whole week and there is no other bullfighting event.

There are also Embolados de Fuego which is a bull with flaming balls on the horns that is released also into the ring or streets, etc.

I would recommend you to:
- be sure that you are going to run them
- its better to run between the bulls than infront where all the people run and then cames the jamm at the plaza entrance which is very dangerous and every year is during the entrance of the Bulls in the ring that there are more injuries and deaths.
- Take a rolled newspaper shaped as a club to use as "distraction" in case the bull is going for you.
- Once you are in the run its very difficult to get out. So if you run it think that you might have to run it all the way.
- Check always for safety spots in the route like street lamps, and wholes below the fence that is placed to mark and hold the run..
- Be carefull with other runners before you since thay might do something stupid and then you crash with them.
- Do not try to outrun the bulls since they are much faster than humans and as I say the best is to run between them. It seems more dangerous but biggest danger in San Fermin are the other runners.
- Carefull with the rain and specially the corners and curves if it has rained because you do not want to fall and have everyone and the bulls step over you.
- I recommend U to go to run slightly "spiced" but not completly shitfaced.
- Above all check the whole route before running. Specially chack the entrance to the ring and then decide if you want to run between, infront, or in a behind position when arriving at the gate. That is the most critical moment.
- Remember that bulls also might stop and run back so if you are behind them because the bulls passed you or you chose to run in that position yet still be carefull.
- Try to know as much as you can because begginers usually make dificult the running for other runners.
- Make friend with locals and run with them even if it seems crazy, they know what they are doing.
- Make sure your shoes are good, have good grip and will not come out during running.

Double clicking below will take you to a site (in spanish)dedicated to many differnt types of encierros:

http://www.losencierros.net/

Double clicking below will take you to a site (in english)were they wilkipedia gives general explanations about encierros:

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/encierro...

Double clicking below the next three links wwill take you to sites (first in spanish next in english) were they will provide infor about SanFernin encierros and tgis years encierrosprograms, activities, videos etc :

http://www.sanferminonline.net/finales/h...

http://www.bullrunning.net

http://www.bullrunning.net/therunningoft...

Hope it Helps and you have a safe but incredible ride.

Best
S

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