Question: I was going to ask this in wilderness but I’m pretty sure we’ll need some math to find out the real answer.

They say you can’t out run a grizzly bear because [they run about 35 mph](https://www.treehugger.com/how-fast-can-a-bear-run-5113356#:%7E:text=Armed%20with%20astonishingly%20powerful%20forelegs,species%2C%20the%20American%20black%20bear.). While the average human runs [6-18 mph](https://www.thecoldwire.com/how-fast-does-an-average-person-run/).

I’m assuming we are simple steaks running in a straight line race.

But seeing that the weight of the grizzly is between [700-1700lb](https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Grizzly-Bear), and the average weight of a human is [136-178](https://www.livescience.com/36470-human-population-weight.html#:%7E:text=The%20average%20body%20mass%2C%20globally,178%20pounds%20(80.7%20kg).), couldn’t we attempt to out maneuver them with zigzags and/or a on-the-dime 180 turn?

Or is the 20mph speed difference to much and our only hope is to lay down and hope it isn’t our day?

Could we identify the optimal pathing which uses their bear disadvantages against them?

Note - References aren’t anything special. I just wanted to give the math people some numbers to consider.

Answer: 
Usain Bolt's mass is [94kg](http://usainbolt.com/bio/), which is significantly larger than most human males. Does that mean you can outrun Usain Bolt (read: win the 200m since that involves running a bend) if you are good at zigzagging? No, of course. That's because biologically, running speed is most dependent on how much force you exert on the ground, not your weight. That's why it's impossible to run in zero gravity, and why the bear weighing more does not matter, because it's more than compensated for by the corresponding increase in muscular strength.
You can identify optimal pathing. Survival experts have done so.

However, to your specific solution of zig zagging, a fundamental issue that arises is that you have to run further than the bear. Bears have something like a 2 meter reach from side to side. So every time you zig zag, you have to travel 2 meters further than they do.

If you watch prey animals, they tend to run rather straight forward until a moment where they think turning really gives them an advantage. Then they give that turn their all. Zig zagging is slow, but zigging may be the key.