The Brotherhood of Man

For 7 days every year in Pamplona, Spain, men from all over the world get together to celebrate the Y chromosome. The Running of The Bulls in San Ferma is an event that not only tests a man's ability to outrun and protect himself against an angry bull, it hinders his ability to do so with the massive quantities of Sangria consumed the previous evening. "Why would anyone do this to themselves?" is a common question that is often asked about this event.

Imagine the following for a moment:

Its 7:30 in the morning. You're still a bit tipsy from a night of debauchery and lacking your usual coordination. Your mouth still sweet with Sangria and the intoxicating scent of vomit, sweat, and urine surround you. You hear a rocket; signaling that six bulls ("Los Toros") and six steers have been released to kill you. With the Sangria still sloshing around in your stomach, you run as fast as you can, but rough cobblestone roads and slow runners in front limit your pace. The bulls run at about 15 mph (fast) and if you find yourself in a section of the run with no balconies to hang from or barriers to climb, you just might get gored. If you're actually able to outrun the bulls, you will complete the run and arrive in a bullring with about 100 other equally drunk men and a roaring stadium. Don't relax just yet...because once the last bull enters the ring, the gates will close and you will be locked in with nothing but the red and white clothes on your back and maybe a newspaper.

Ever wonder what a bunny rabbit stuck in a cage with a Kodiak bear feels like?

For the next hour, a series of angry bulls will be released upon you and your bull-running brothers. As everyone torments the bulls with newspapers and drunken ramblings amidst a thundering stadium, it gets angrier and angrier until it finally tires....at which point this bull is taken in and another "fresh" bull is released. This entire hour involves chasing the bull with a newspaper or running for your life (literally) from one end of the ring to the other. The experience of being petrified, encircled by thousands of hollering fans is nothing short of surreal. The ground reverberates each time the 2,000 lb. bull collides with a person, wall, or steer. If you touch the bull or grab its horns, you will be attacked by EVERYONE ELSE in the ring and the crowd will cheer on as you lay in the dirt like a defeated gladiator. Battle scars are admired and getting trampled wins you a helping hand. People getting tossed 10-15 feet in the air and run over are common occurrences and if you are able to leave the ring without at least a bruise or two, consider yourself a lucky man. After the last of the 7 bulls have been unleashed upon the men and the gates open, there is an overwhelming feeling of camraderie. High-fives abound - you may not know anyone except your friends, but for next five minutes, every man in that ring is your brother. So why would anyone ever do this to themselves? Well, its for that last 5 minutes.