Awesome Black Bear Encounter!

I have posted previously about running in the Great Dismal Swamp and various wildlife encounters. Yesterday's run was pretty notable and exciting. About ten minutes or so into my run I saw what I thought to be a black bear crossing the fire trail several hundred yards ahead of me. Bear sightings are not uncommon in the swamp and I didn't give it much thought. With the canopy of trees covering the trail internet coverage is spotty so I had taken my ear buds out when I lost signal. This may have been a good thing. Not sure if I heard or saw movement but I looked to my left and saw a black bear clinging to the side of a tree just a few feet off the ground. This was the closest I had been to a bear outside of hunting encounters. I turned and took some pretty horrible photos and even worse video but did mange a brief commentary even invoking the name of the unfortunate bear enthusiast Timothy Treadwell. I scanned up the tree and saw two bear cubs which explained why the bear "hung around". Not one to cut a workout short, I left my Dollar Tree sunglasses just off the path as a marker for my return and planned to continue my run. Before doing so I noted that mama bear had climbed a little further up the tree but was very much interested in me and the possible threat I posed to her babies. I began to become a little concerned as this was the only way back to the trail head. The mayflies and horse flies were performing sorties with pinpoint precision and stunning accuracy and were only mildly deterred by a prevailing breeze. I continued the run hoping the bear would ascend further up the tree. On the return I was dismayed to discover she had not moved much at all. By my estimation she could have quickly climbed or even dropped down if she perceived a big enough threat. I waited a few more minutes and decided I had to make a move. I planned an all out sprint only interrupted by briefly swooping down to collect my dollar shades. The blazing speed I had envisioned felt painfully slow and not particularly graceful. The good news is I made it past the bear unscathed and managed a few more horrible photos. I suddenly became quite bold knowing the bear was no longer between me and my truck and was rewarded by with some exclamatory emoting not quite reaching the level of a growl. In the interest of full disclosure I would estimate the mama bear to maybe be 200 pounds. Not a particularly large bear but dangerous nonetheless, especially when with cubs. It made the run really cool and enjoyable even more than usual even with the risk (actual probably a few clicks below perceived). Yet another reason I am so blessed to have such an awesome place to run, hike, bike and paddle in my back yard. Any notable wildlife encounters while training or racing?