Jim Owen is no stranger to exercising. In fact, the 84-year-old La Jolla-area resident is used to demonstrating his strength and abilities.

But in the recent San Diego Senior Games, Owen went above and beyond, earning gold medals in all 10 of the events he entered in his age group.

The San Diego Senior Games, part of a national organization in which people 50 and older compete in 16 Olympic-style sports — from basketball to swimming to track and field — were held Aug. 23 through Sept. 29.

One event, which takes place only in California, is the fitness games, which features 10 tests of strength and endurance, such as who can hang from a bar for the longest time, who can throw a heavy ball the farthest or how many jumps on a jump rope a contestant can do in a minute.

Owen, a fitness buff since he turned 70, said competing in such games was a no-brainer. But he knew he needed to get ready.

“I exercise five to six days a week” for about an hour a day, he said. “But if I wanted to do well, I knew I better work at this thing.”

So he set out to train.

He didn’t know what the 10 fitness tests would be, but he knew the Scripps Ranch gym where the games would take place and went to train there. By looking at the equipment available and the exercises the trainers were engaged in, Owen got hints about what he may have to do in the games.

“I had never done six of the 10 exercises I was able to do there,” he said. “But I felt I was creating home-field advantage.”

He also trained during the time of day when the games would be held so he could get used to the temperatures at that time. In the two months before the games, he trained there for about two hours a day a few times a week.

In addition to physical training, Owen started to set himself up mentally for what was ahead.

“The trainers said [that] statistically, less than 10% of the people who compete in the fitness games compete in all 10 events, Owen said. They’ll do one, two or three, but not often all 10. So I decided I wanted to try all 10.

I wasn’t setting out to win all 10; I just wanted to give it my best. I thought ‘If I don’t win, it’s OK, but if I do my best, I can look back and feel good about that.’”

Though he didnt set out to win all 10 events, that’s exactly what happened. In the jump rope category, he did 49 jumps in 60 seconds. He hung from the bar for 2½ minutes. He threw the heavy ball 20 feet. He beat his personal best from his training in nine of the 10 events.

“I paid the price for it, he joked. I was hurting for a week after that.”

But following his recovery from the games, he was back at the gym, exercising at Vi at La Jolla Village, his home retirement community.

“It is never too late to get more fit,” Owen said. “You could be 50 or 90. I started when I was 70 because I had aches and pains. My motivation was to be more physically active. I didn’t set out to be Arnold Schwarzenegger; I just wanted to be more fit than I was.

At my age … you are not exercising to look better, you are exercising to feel better and not get aches and pains. For all kinds of health reasons, everyone needs to exercise. Its about a healthier lifestyle. Its good for heart health and blood pressure.

I don’t think of it as ‘killing yourself’ and overworking yourself, he added. I did this not to prove anything but [to] inspire others to do the same or inspire others to work out. I feel better, I stand up straighter and have zero lower back pain. You have to be physically active. I think every adult needs to do strength training.”

In 2020, Owen produced a documentary about movement called “The Art of Aging Well,” which aired on PBS. The 27-minute film features insight from experts along with stories from Owen’s journey.

People in Your Neighborhood shines a spotlight on notable locals. If you know someone you’d like us to profile, send an email to robert.vardon@lajollalight.com.