At 90, Sedona resident Phill Shipp is still doing what he loves: Competing in track meets and excels at it though he admits the diminishing field of competitors has something to do with it.

“Shot put is my main event,” Shipp said on the field during one of his training sessions at Sedona Red Rock High School on Thursday, Aug. 14. “Although at 90, the pole vault is my biggest separator. There’s only two of us in the world that can do the pole vault anymore at our age — me and an Australian guy — so that’s a lot of fun.”

Shipp discovered USA Track & Field masters events and has been competing since age 65. He competed once more this year in the SATF Masters Outdoor Championships which took place July 17 through 20 in Huntsville, Alabama. During which placed first in every event in his age brackets.

In the 80–99 division, he threw 10.20 meters in his signature event, the shot put, 24.26 meters in the discus and 24.10 meters in the javelin. In the 80–94 division, he cleared 1.01 meters in the high jump, 1.70 meters in the pole vault and 2.86 meters in the long jump.

“It’s a sense of accomplishment,” Shipp said. “But the biggest benefactor is my health, because I’m able to still do quite a few things that most 90-year-olds can’t do. Chores around the house, simple things like that, and no pains. I’ve had some serious injuries that made me miss important track meets and records, but right now I’m 100%. I’ve got the knees of a 60-year-old. Or at least that’s what my orthopedic surgeon says anyway.”

Shipp said the training regimen has evolved with age. He does heavy weightlifting twice a week, light weightlifting with pulleys and bands, speed walking and box jumps to maintain strength for jumping events. He no longer runs long distances but he focuses on conditioning and mobility.

“The shot put is what I’m working on to set the world record,” Shipp said. “I’m working hard on my weight lifting right now at Snap Fitness. That’s my goal. It’s going to be [hard] because it takes competition and excitement to really get your juices going. I won’t break the world record unless I’m fully motivated, and that’s going to be hard to do, but I’m going to try. I only have a little more distance for my throws to cover.”

But the personal goal for Shipp is to remain healthy and is working out six to seven days a week.

Outside of the track Shipp has three children, five grandchildren, and this spring welcomed his first great-grandson, Barron.

“I consider that a tremendous accomplishment because they’re all doing well in their careers,” Shipp said. “My kids are raising their kids and are such good parents that I feel I’ve set a good example for them in that regard.”

Marianne Shipp, 17 years younger than Phillip, has been a partner in both his personal and professional life and the couple met as the result or a professional and eventual personal merger when they married in 1983.

“I started a small computer company in Orange County, California, with a partner,” Shipp said. “I was an engineering graduate, so I’ve always been interested in technical stuff. After working for a couple of major corporations, I started my own company and put together computer systems and software for small businesses. … Marianne, from Pennsylvania, worked for a similar company. We got to know each other as competitors, then merged the companies. That’s how we met.”

Shipp still considers track and field a technical sport. Form plays a major role, he said, from the angle and grip of the shot put to footwork, timing and release.

“A typical throw for most of my career has been around 40 to 45 feet,” he said. “A perfect glide can add a few more feet.”

It’s this attention to detail, along with constant practice, that has kept him competitive even at 90.

Beyond the technical side, Shipp values the people he meets at the track.

“It’s the ability to meet people occasionally, share a bit about yourself, and learn something about them,” he said.

“Fortunately, there’s a younger group coming up behind me,” Shipp said. “Because of the way they score things in track and field — it’s like a handicap system — I can compare my scores to every age group down the line. I still have interaction with guys in their 60s and 70s. We compare scores and say, ‘Yeah, I got you by 10 points. That keeps it interesting.”