When James Marsh was going through his morning routine as principal of an elementary school, sprinting as fast as he could was not on his to-do list.
But on May 1, his speed was put to the test.
In a school surveillance video shared by his wife, Shawna Marsh, the principal can be seen behind Zela Elementary School in Summersville, West Virginia.
He is standing at the school’s dumpster, carefully unlocking the bar that keeps it closed at night so it can be used during the school day, the video shows.
As he moves the bar off the lid, it opens.
Marsh looks, and staring back at him is a black bear.
Marsh’s daughter, Annabeth Anderson, shared an edited version of the video on her Facebook with a famous TikTok audio in the background. The message is clear — run.
Marsh and the bear take off, luckily in opposite directions, both running full speed, the video shows. Marsh runs out of frame, and the bear is seen headed toward a wooded area behind the school.
Marsh walks back into the frame, and takes a moment to catch his breath.
“There’s no sound to the video but apparently it roared like a lion when it came out,” Shawna Marsh responded to a comment on the video.
“Wow! What a story he got to share with you about how his day went today!” one person commented.
“I didn’t know Jimmy could move that fast,” another person wrote.
“(Too) funny. Poor Jimmy,” another commented.
Summersville is about 65 miles east of Charleston.
What to do if you see a bear
Bear attacks in the U.S. are rare, according to the National Park Service. In most attacks, bears are trying to defend their food, cubs or space.
There are steps people can take to help prevent a bear encounter from becoming a bear attack.
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Identify yourself: Talk calmly and slowly wave your arms. This can help the bear realize you’re a human and nonthreatening.
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Stay calm: Bears usually don’t want to attack; they want to be left alone. Talk slowly and with a low voice to the bear.
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Don’t scream: Screaming could trigger an attack.
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Pick up small children: Don’t let kids run away from the bear. It could think they’re small prey.
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Hike in groups: A group is noisier and smellier, the National Park Service said. Bears like to keep their distance from groups of people.
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Make yourself look big: Move to higher ground and stand tall. Don’t make any sudden movements.
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Don’t drop your bag: A bag on your back can keep a bear from accessing food, and it can provide protection.
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