How I hacked an ultramarathon by thinking like an entrepreneur | Phil Sanderson | TEDxBeaconStreet

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Phil Sanderson, an entrepreneur and venture capitalist, has run over 40 ultra marathons ranging from 31 to 100 miles. For the first time last September, he ran the Wasatch 100-miler in the Utah mountains with almost no training (don't try that at home). Sanderson explains how he "hacked" the race by drawing from an unlikely strategy-- entrepreneurship. Based on his work funding entrepreneurs, Sanderson identifies the fundamental hacking principles used by the most successful entrepreneurs -- and describes how he applied these principles to achieve his goal of finishing a 100-mile race in under 30 hours. Phil Sanderson has been a venture capitalist for 18 years and is a partner at IDG Ventures in San Francisco. He is an ultra distance runner having competed in over 40 ultramarathons. Phil is Chairman of the Western Association of Venture Capitalists and the VCNetwork. He received an MBA from Harvard Business School. About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)