I’m currently in Pamplona, Spain, for the 2014 San Fermin Festival, or Running of the Bulls. While there are no exact estimates on the number of tourists the festival brings to the city each year, it is estimated around 200,000; approximately 2,000 people run per day during the week (there are bull runs every morning at 8 a.m.), with around 4,000 on the weekends. From July 7–14 each year, the celebrations take place all over the city, with non-stop partying, bull runs and bull fights (the only time of the year you will find bull fights in Pamplona), concerts, fireworks and family-friendly activities. I’ve learned a lot about the history of the encierros (meaning to enclose) over the past few days, made famous worldwide by Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises. The first mention of encierros in Pamplona was in the 18^th century, but they are believed to have begun in the 14^th century as a cheap way to enclose the bulls in the bullring, reaching worldwide acclaim in the 1920s. The sounding of church bells signifies a minute to start each morning of the festival, and at 8 a.m., the first rocket blast means the pens of the six bulls and six steers have opened; by the sounding of the second rocket, all the animals are out. The 850-meter route, about half of a mile, has four parts: Santo Domingo, the uphill start, runners here should be fast; in front of City Hall, the street is uneven, so runners here should be balanced; Estafeta, a very straight stretch with no way out for 400 meters; and the final stretch to the bull ring, which is downhill and narrow. Two other rockets signify when the bulls have entered the arena and when they are in the pen. No registration is required, and everyone is allowed to run at 18 years of age or older. The crowd is 92 percent male and 8 percent female. Bulls run approximately 15 miles per hour, so it’s physically impossible to outrun a bull. The whole run takes two to three minutes each morning. Americans are the largest contingent of foreigners running. The six bulls in the run are in the evening bullfight. There are four main rules to Running with the Bulls:

1. You must be at least 18 years old.
2. You must not be drunk.
3. You have to have proper footwear; no sandals, flip flops, high heels, rollerblades, skateboards, etc.
4. No cameras or bags allowed.

There will be more to come from Pamplona as I continue to experience all the elements of the festival. One of my favorite parts has been observing all the people in the streets and the celebrations, especially post-run, and talking with participants to find out what motivates them to run. — Kim Krol, managing editor