Son also rises in race to the future

Like father, like son.

Eduard “Josh” Buenavista, the seven-year-old son of Olympian and champion marathoner Eduardo “Vertek” Buenavista, has taken the first step in what could be a long journey to running glory.

Lean but long-legged, the young Buenavista showed a lot of promise in his first-ever official race when he finished ahead of taller, older foes and wound up seventh in the 3km side event of the 2008 Milo Marathon.

Buenavista, a Grade 1 pupil at the Baguio Achiever’s College in Baguio City, clocked 10 minutes and 12 seconds in the race for 6-to-9 year olds topped by John Villanueva in 9 minutes flat.

He could’ve probably finished better had he not been tripped by a participant he described as “old” at the halfway mark near United Nations Ave. on Roxas Boulevard.

Buenavista scratched his skinny left knee but instead of crying, he gamely picked himself up and continued to run as if nothing happened, eventually finishing seventh among 1,823 competitors.

Not bad for a first-timer in a race of the Milo Marathon magnitude.

“I’m happy,” said Buenavista in Filipino while showing his wounded knee.

Isidro Vildosola, Buenavista’s one-armed pacer and coach, said he’s impressed with his pupil.

“Actually, he competed in a small 3K race in Baguio where he finished fourth. That’s impressive because that’s technically his first race,” said Vildosola, a gold and bronze medalist in the last Southeast Asian Para Games in Thailand.

“In this race, I can say that I’m impressed because here he competed against the best and finished seventh,” Vildosola said.

Josh actually has a brother, three-year-old Eduardo “Gabriel” Buenavista Jr., who could be another runner in the making.

“I did not encourage them to run. They are the ones who want to (run),” said the father.

Josh is so engrossed with running that he always joins his father in training at the Teacher’s Camp oval in Baguio, running the first full lap (400 meters) before jogging the rest of the next.

Gabriel would join them every so often.

“Like their father, Josh and Gabriel are hyperactive kids. So they keep on running and running, they really do not walk that much,” said mother Chona, the only one in the family who doesn’t run.

After receiving his first earnings, Josh playfully ran around the Luneta Park again, unaware that in his frail feet and legs probably rests the future of Philippine long distance running. – Joey Villar