Ken Phillips looks right at home among the rigs, kettlebells, barbells and fitness bikes at CrossFit Steamboat as he talks about his upcoming trip to San Jose, California, where he will compete in the 2026 Masters CrossFit Games.

The 71-year-old said he never considered himself much of an athlete and does not have a lot of natural ability despite running track in high school. CrossFit, he said, has changed his life since he walked through the doors of the Steamboat Springs fitness facility a decade ago.

“I dabbled with CrossFit a little bit before I moved to Steamboat,” Phillips said. “When I moved here I was overweight, I hadn’t been working out, and I was actually pretty sick.”

He trained two days a week in the beginning, and before he knew it he was coming in to work out every day. The improvements were noticeable — his weight dropped from 194 pounds to 148, and his overall health improved greatly. He said he also set a goal of making the semifinals of the CrossFit Games — something he accomplished earlier this year.

The CrossFit Games are a multi-day athletic competition, which are considered the Super Bowl of CrossFit, according to Ronni Waneka, owner of CrossFit Steamboat. Athletes compete in a number of physical tests ranging from weightlifting to gymnastics and are judged by certified officials who monitor workouts to ensure strict adherence to movement standards.

The athletes are scored on time, rounds completed or weight lifted. The competition has four stages including a worldwide online competition called The Open. Top finishers advance to the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.

After breaking out of The Open, Phillips advanced to the quarterfinals and finished in the top 50 in the world for several consecutive years. A few years back, he realized if he wanted to step to the next level, he needed help. He asked Waneka for advice.

“She brought in another coach and the two of them set up a training program and extra training programs, as well as nutrition,” Phillips said.

The next two years saw Phillips just missing the semifinals twice. But when the CrossFit Games added a 70-plus division this year, Phillips advanced to the semifinals and placed sixth in the new grouping. The top five finishers receive an automatic berth in the finals, but Phillips needed to take first place in the Latin America Masters Division in Medellin, Colombia to secure his spot — which he did.

There are five regional events held across the world that are part of the CrossFit Games and provide another route for qualification for the winners to get to the games. Only the winners of those events earn an invitation.

“It takes so much as for an athlete like him to make it this far because it’s not just about being fit,” Waneka said. “He has to be mentally smart as far as what type of athlete he is, he needs to know what he’s doing when he gets on the floor, and he needs to have a plan and the confidence to stick to it.”

Waneka said Phillips’ story is inspirational for all athletes and that the CrossFit Steamboat community is set to get together for a sendoff celebration on Saturday, July 11. She added that Phillips is a great example of how CrossFit can positively impact an individual’s life — regardless of fitness level, athletic ability or age.

“To watch him, over the years, become a better athlete … there’s a lot that goes into getting where he is at,” Waneka said. “It’s so cool, at age 71, to become so good at a sport, both physically and mentally. It’s amazing, and it’s keeping him young.”