by Merche and Patxi

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

www.viajar24h.com cc-by

When people speak of San Fermin in Pamplona, they usually talk about men running before the bulls in the streets, which is call the Encierro. We want to explain what exactly the Bull Run is.

Every morning in July, from the 7th to 14th, the bulls are led from a corral to the bullring, through some streets in Pamplona. The race is about 850 meters long, and doesn’t take more than 4 minutes to do, but it is a breathtaking experience, no matter, if you take part in it or just watch it.

To speak about bulls in the streets may sound dangerous, and it is. Not for the general public as the route is closed off by a double wooden fence to prevent bulls from running freely through the city! The space between both fences is reserved for the police, authorised photographers and paramedics in charge of assisting runners when required.
Yes, but it is not the same for the runners; every year between 200 and 300 runners get injured, 6 or 8 of them seriously wounded. The bulls are not the only danger, but also the number of runners; the chances of falling and being injured are very high.

Nowadays the Encierro has a massive participation, especially at the week-end, but very few amongst the attendance are really what people from Pamplona call “runners”.

That’s true, in Pamplona, if you want to say you really ran in front of the bulls you must have run close enough so as to have seen the bulls, smelt them, heard the noise of their hoofs on the street’s cobblestones or even felt their warm breath breathing down your neck, and nobody can keep the bulls’ pace for more than 50 to 100 m..

And those people really prepare for the run. Learning to run properly takes a long time so it is not advisable that you try to run on your first day in Pamplona. It would be ideal to ask a veteran runner for advice or even to run both together. You must wear comfortable clothing and appropriate running shoes, no sandals! It goes without saying that it is not advisable to spend the whole night out drinking and dancing before the run; you have to be in good shape to minimise risk.

It is advisable that you first watch the run several times, either in the street or on TV, to choose a place to run and see how veterans do it, as every stretch has different characteristics, and also you have to learn how you start and stop running. For a newcomer I would suggest to break into a run gradually and let the bulls catch up with you. When you feel you can’t keep running just move aside.

You must bear in mind that this is a violent race and you must look back and forth to watch both the bulls and the runners that may fall in front of you. You must be aware that other runners may push you away as they try to make room for themselves in front of the bulls. And never, never stand on the street if you just want to watch; you will be putting other runner’s lives at risk as well as your own!

If you need to let steam off or just a jolt of adrenalin, try jumping off the top of Navarreria’s fountain, with the Aussies’ permission, of course!