“...the man apparently did everything wildlife officials recommend when encountering a wild animal of this kind, such as putting his hands in the air, making noise and standing his ground...”
The hell with that...I’d just put a couple of holes in the damn thing and call it a day.
It wouldn’t surprise me if we learned that the runner has decided to begin carrying a handgun with him on his route. I might, and although the added weight would be uncomfortable, it would be preferable to being attacked again by a mountain lion.