16 photos from the first day of Spain's 'Running of the Bulls' that prove how wild the event is

Each year, 1000s of runners dash through the cobbled streets of Pamplona, Spain, during the Festival of San Fermin, which is held from July 6 to 14 annually.

Thrill seekers take part in the festival's "Encierro," or Running of the Bulls, in which bulls are let loose when the clock strikes 8 a.m. The purpose of this exercises is one born out of necessity - to get the bulls from their corral into the bullring, which is 2,706 feet away.

While the event is usually over in a few minutes, it attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to the tiny town each year.

Check out the wild images below for a look into this deep-rooted tradition, which is said to have originated in the early 14th century.