Wow! So the day started early we left the hotel in the pre-dawn darkness with sleep in our eyes and butterflys in our stomachs. We had our white pants and shirts on and our red handkerchiefs and sashes tied tight. We took the bus into the city center and unloaded, then walked quickly to what couldve easily been the end of our trip ;). After finding the staging point for the runners at the beginning of the run. We are quickly packed into the square like so many sardines in a can by the policia praying they dont turn the bulls loose at this point! We watch a animated video of what not to do. Then at 10 minutes to 8 ( go time) we are released by out captive sardine packing and allowed to disperse along the craziest 900 meters in the world. We chose a spot previously staked out with hopes of making it into the stadium at the conclusion of the run. (this is very very difficult if you actually run and dont start at the very end we are told) spas we are standing in the street we here the first bang signaling the bulls are in place and the crowds scream and jump up and down! 30 seconds later we see the flashing of the tips of horns of the rushing bulls (8 to be exact). We start jogging along with hopes to be at speed as the bulls catch us. Then out of the rushing crowd emerges the biggest, blackest, sharpest, scariest, set of horns pointing at me that this Texan has ever seen! These horns are separated by some very evil looking eyes. These horns and 2000 lbs of beef and hooves are now running less than a foot from me followed by 8 of his friends. The course makes a turn and the first group passes me as I jump like Jordan over about 12 people who just got plowed by the bulls as the passed me. I look back to see the last two bulls directly behind me as Im now in the middle of the street after avoiding the pile up. This whats oh shit time. Andy goes up the wall as people are getting clobbered at his feet, I keep running for my life and actually come within a foot of these bulls and hang with them all the way to the stadium. Where a lot of very interesting things happen. I bring out my camera and video that part so Ill let the videos do what words cant! The pictures are posted in order from the staging before, to the street before the run, then the stadium afterwards.
Posted on: Thu, 10 Jul 2014 07:44:53 +0000