"It's very invigorating," said Anthony Karen, 36, of Great Neck. Invigorating is an understatement when describing the annual running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. This year, for the second time, Karen participated in the festival and came back unscathed. In the hour before the running starts, the participants may be mistaken for bulls as they are being crammed into an 848.6-meter stretch of fenced-in streets. The gates are closed at 7:30 a.m. and the run starts promptly at 8 a.m. According to Karen, "three minutes prior to the run, all ask the Saint for protection and chant three times for his blessing," something that they are likely to need.

A rocket is set off at 8, signaling the release of the first of six bulls and eight oxen from the corral at Santo Domingo. When the last bull has left the corral, a second rocket is set off. The rush passes the town hall on its way to the Estafeta turn, a perilous 90-degree change in direction where many bulls slip and fall, creating a grave hazard for runners. "I am running as I see a huge black bull charge toward a group of men next to me and then as quickly as that, he is again on his way. Another passes by and my main objective is to make it to the bullring, so I continue to run, bobbing and weaving through the crowd of white and red (the traditional colors of the fiesta), trying not to slip," said Karen. "If I do fall I must not get up right away; this is how so many people have been hurt. Several bulls run past, I see a woman flipped over the fence assisted by her new friend 'El Toro.'"

The bulls then continue down a narrow straightaway called Telefonica which leads to a 100-meter downhill stretch called Callejon, funneling into the bullring. A final rocket is set off signaling the arrival of the bulls in the bullring, and all runners who have made it into the ring before the bulls engage in amateur bullfights with five bulls ranging from 600-800 pounds. These bulls are considered small by Pamplona standards, and fortunately for the participants, they have trimmed horns. The remaining bulls that were part of the run are fought later in another part of the festival.

Each year about 3,000 people run with the bulls, and of them, about 1,000 make it into the bullring. There are usually approximately 200-300 injuries, although few of them are serious. As Karen pointed out, for those who fall down during the run, it is imperative that they not stand up until it is clear, in order to avoid serious injury.

The running of the bulls is only a small part of the weeklong San Fermin celebration that, according to Karen dates back to the Middle Ages, albeit the most famous part. The festival is named in honor of San Fermin, the city's first saint, and many of the week's activities are designed in worship of the saint.

The San Fermin festival starts on July 6 with the Chupinazo, the rocket that announces the beginning of the fiesta, the procession of San Fermin, and The Walk of the Giants, a march of 25 papier-mache figures. The running of the bulls takes place on July 7. "There is a little of everything and so many things to do," said Karen. "All the people come together in a mix of all colors, cultures and nationalities." Partaking in the running of the bulls has been one of Karen's goals for a long time and he plans to make this an annual excursion. Anyone interested in participating in the San Fermin festival in the future should e-mail Anthony Karen at ack1991@aol.com.