The Bulls are Running Again! [video]

I suppose if I was a fan of a baseball team that actually had a chance of advancement, I wouldn't have to turn my attention to global events like The World Cup, and now...The Running of the Bulls. However, I'm a Cub fan, which means, not really being bogged down with a pennant race, I've got time to learn about other things people around the globe do for fun and/or adventure.

Speaking of adventure, as of this morning, at least four people have been injured (trampled and/or gored) in Spain at the beginning of The Festival of San Fermin. Maybe it's just me, but I don't want to spend thousands of travel dollars only to wind up being scraped off a bull's hooves. I figure I could get trampled by a hard-working American bull for a lot less cash.

For the uninitiated (which included me up until this morning's research), there's a little bit more to the Festival of San Fermin than the aforementioned steak parade.

Here's a couple of nuggets from the festival's official website:

The Encierro ... The Running of the Bulls
The Encierro is the event at the heart of the Sanfermines and makes the fiesta a spectacle that would be unimaginable in any other place in the world. It was born from need: getting the bulls from outside the city into the bullring. The encierro takes place from July 7th to 14th and starts at the corral in Calle Santo Domingo when the clock on the church of San Cernin strikes eight o"clock in the morning. After the launching of two rockets, the bulls charge behind the runners for 825 metres, the distance between the corral and the bullring. The run usually lasts between three and four minutes although it has sometimes taken over ten minutes, especially if one of the bulls has been isolated from his companions.

So, what they're saying is: We could've just put the bulls in a big truck and driven them to the ring, but hey, nobody gets gored or trampled that way, so forget it! Give the fans (and their travel agents) what they want!

A fence of 3,000 parts
For security reasons, a double fence marks out the route of the bull run through the streets. It is made of over 3,000 wooden parts (planks, posts, gates, etc.). Part of the fence stays put throughout the fiesta but other sections are assembled and disassembled every day by a special brigade of workers.

So, what happens when they turn the bulls loose? According to the website:

Useful information about the bull run
The encierro is an unrepeatable experience for spectators and runners alike. It is a spectacle that is defined by the level of risk and the physical ability of the runners.
An inexperienced runner should learn about the characteristics of this dangerous "race" (although it should not be considered as a race) before starting, and also about the protective measures to be taken for his/her own safety and that of the people running alongside.
Not everyone can run the encierro. It requires cool nerves, quick reflexes and a good level of physical fitness. Anyone who does not have these three should not take part. It is a highly risky enterprise.

Really? It's risky? Aw, go on! I would never have guessed. As risky as it is, they do actually have some rules for the ~~idiots~~, er, thrillseekers who wish to have at it:

What is not allowed in the bull run
People under 18 years of age, who must not run or participate.
Crossing police barriers placed to ensure that the run goes off smoothly.
Standing in areas and places along the route that have been expressly prohibited by the municipal police force.
Before the bulls are released, waiting in corners, blind spots, doorways or in entrances to other establishments located along the run.
Leaving doors of shops or entrances to apartments open along the route. The responsibility for ensuring these doors are closed lies with the owners or tenants of the properties.
Being in the bull run while drunk, under the effects of drugs or in any other improper manner.
Inciting the bulls or attracting their attention in any manner, and for whatever reason, along the route of the run or in the bullring.

Wait. If I can't be drunk, and I can't try to attract the bulls attention, why am I doing this? Maybe this video will help to explain.

Your travel agent is standing by.