What we learned next was that they would release a barricade blocking the course about five minutes before the run started, thus opening the course to the runners. Which they did.
As soon as the barricade was released people began to run forward. Everyone yelled in a multitude of languages to go slow. The police helplessly also urged caution and for us to stay slow so no one got trampled. Our group of four stayed together and began to pick up speed. Those bulls were going to be released soon and we knew we didn't want to be in the corner. We made it past Dead Man's Corner and right on to Estefeta. The goal was to start on Estefeta - a long and narrow street with little cover - so that we also had a shot of also entering the Plaza de Toros with the bulls. If we could keep up. If we didn't get gored.
We made our way past a second barricade slicing through the middle of the course and waited again nervously, but now pumped full of adrenaline. Soon after, Ted and Shawn joined us! "How the hell did you guys make it through?!" I said. "We thought you were left behind."
They explained that they worked their way through a crowd similar to us, but at the very back of the mass. They made it through both fences onto the course and after one or two others followed them, the cops turned around and cut off the course to new runners. They barely made it. And, luckily, they avoided the dangerous mass that we had been nearly squashed to death in moments earlier.
As we were rejoicing our small victory, we hear a bang. Rocket! The run has begun! Some people started to run. We waited. Too soon to start. As you looked down the entire road you could barely see the middle of the crowd starting to part. "Wait, not yet!" I yelled. "Can you see anything?" someone replied.
"I can see! I can see!" I said. And just barely, I could. I noticed that people would jump up and down as they awaited the bulls. Then when that particular head stopped bobbing up, you could assume it was because they turned around to run from the charging bulls. Closer. Closer. Someone from our group took off. "Hold the line!" I yelled, not quite knowing why or what it meant. The crowd roared. A surge parted in the middle. I looked back and Rob and Keith were gone. Next, Shawn and Ted dashed. Closer the bobbed heads stopped. Three, two... John turned and ran. I paused, looked back down the street and saw a glimpse of a horned beast. "Oh s&@#! ruunnnn!!!!!" I yelled and turned to dash as fast as possible. A roar streaked behind me and I could not see anything but a mass of panicked faces in front of me.
We all decided to stay middle left on the road so we could take the inside sweeping turn near the Telefonica building and then the sharper left into the Plaza de Toros. We hoped this would allow us to run alongside and away from the turn of the bulls. Masses of people squished against the fence in panic. "Move! Move!" Staying against the fence could get you gored straight up against it. Better to be trampled than gored. I turned to my right and saw a light brown, heavy horned steer and a deep brown, nearly black bull charging about 10 feet back and 6 feet to my right. "Oh crap, they are HUGE! ...and FAST!" I thought. (These things are about 1400 pounds on average.)
I look back forward and hit straight into someone that stopped because the person in front fell down. He was a huge hulking guy that then reached down to pull the person up and I pulled his other arm to help him keep momentum and then dashed forward without slowing down. You would reach the person in front of you and then push on their back to keep them moving forward. Around the corner and people on the side fences cheering. Faces all around you in panic. People trying to bail out over the fences. Making it closer now to the stadium entrance.
As soon as the barricade was released people began to run forward. Everyone yelled in a multitude of languages to go slow. The police helplessly also urged caution and for us to stay slow so no one got trampled. Our group of four stayed together and began to pick up speed. Those bulls were going to be released soon and we knew we didn't want to be in the corner. We made it past Dead Man's Corner and right on to Estefeta. The goal was to start on Estefeta - a long and narrow street with little cover - so that we also had a shot of also entering the Plaza de Toros with the bulls. If we could keep up. If we didn't get gored.
We made our way past a second barricade slicing through the middle of the course and waited again nervously, but now pumped full of adrenaline. Soon after, Ted and Shawn joined us! "How the hell did you guys make it through?!" I said. "We thought you were left behind."
They explained that they worked their way through a crowd similar to us, but at the very back of the mass. They made it through both fences onto the course and after one or two others followed them, the cops turned around and cut off the course to new runners. They barely made it. And, luckily, they avoided the dangerous mass that we had been nearly squashed to death in moments earlier.
As we were rejoicing our small victory, we hear a bang. Rocket! The run has begun! Some people started to run. We waited. Too soon to start. As you looked down the entire road you could barely see the middle of the crowd starting to part. "Wait, not yet!" I yelled. "Can you see anything?" someone replied.
"I can see! I can see!" I said. And just barely, I could. I noticed that people would jump up and down as they awaited the bulls. Then when that particular head stopped bobbing up, you could assume it was because they turned around to run from the charging bulls. Closer. Closer. Someone from our group took off. "Hold the line!" I yelled, not quite knowing why or what it meant. The crowd roared. A surge parted in the middle. I looked back and Rob and Keith were gone. Next, Shawn and Ted dashed. Closer the bobbed heads stopped. Three, two... John turned and ran. I paused, looked back down the street and saw a glimpse of a horned beast. "Oh s&@#! ruunnnn!!!!!" I yelled and turned to dash as fast as possible. A roar streaked behind me and I could not see anything but a mass of panicked faces in front of me.
We all decided to stay middle left on the road so we could take the inside sweeping turn near the Telefonica building and then the sharper left into the Plaza de Toros. We hoped this would allow us to run alongside and away from the turn of the bulls. Masses of people squished against the fence in panic. "Move! Move!" Staying against the fence could get you gored straight up against it. Better to be trampled than gored. I turned to my right and saw a light brown, heavy horned steer and a deep brown, nearly black bull charging about 10 feet back and 6 feet to my right. "Oh crap, they are HUGE! ...and FAST!" I thought. (These things are about 1400 pounds on average.)
I look back forward and hit straight into someone that stopped because the person in front fell down. He was a huge hulking guy that then reached down to pull the person up and I pulled his other arm to help him keep momentum and then dashed forward without slowing down. You would reach the person in front of you and then push on their back to keep them moving forward. Around the corner and people on the side fences cheering. Faces all around you in panic. People trying to bail out over the fences. Making it closer now to the stadium entrance.
Taking time to look back could slow you down, but I still looked back immediately. The entry into the stadium is very narrow and on a downward ramp. You have to find a clear opening from bulls and dash through without hesitation. I look forward and a mass of people lay on the ground. I ran inside away from it and then hurdled another person huddled on the ground. One look back for bulls and a hurried dash through the doorway and into the stadium. I then ran off to the far left and raised my fists and yelled. The crowd poured into the stadium like water rushing through a broken dam. The crowd roared at us. The bulls continued to enter, those that had not already entered. One by one, our group found its way to each other. Fists clenched, raised and pumped. "We did it! We all made it!"
1 comment:
That's so awesome! I'm happy for you guys that you all made it, you all did it, and you're all safe!
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