Before Josh Buenavista fell

B.B., November 22, 2023

It was around 6 p.m. in the early evening, the sun nearly hidden behind the horizon and darkness about to fall. The twilight beams cast a mellow glow over Josh Buenavista, a long-distance runner with the University of the Philippines (UP), as he paced around the poorly lit track oval. Despite a breath of fresh air, the rubber flooring, still sticky from the afternoon heat, radiated a subtle smolder up into his face. Buenavista wouldn’t be there, training with his dad coach and teammates after a full day of classes, except that he had to double efforts for his upcoming title defense in the new season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s athletics.

Over the years, Buenavista’s early nights looked like this: running around the track oval. But that particular evening was different. “It was unusually dark because the lights went faulty in the stadium,” he said. Little did he know it was an omen that something bad was about to happen.

One of the events in Buenavista’s UAAP billing is the 3,000-meter steeplechase, an obstacle race in which competitors on the track must navigate barriers and water jumps. Compared to hurdles in track and field races, steeplechase barriers are wider and more stable, with a height of 36 inches for men's events and 30 inches for women's events. The water jump includes both a hurdle and a water pit, measuring 12 feet square, with a depth of 70 centimeters, or more than two feet at its deepest.

Like its equestrian counterpart, the steeplechase requires strength and perfect timing. Buenavista was honing these skills on that early evening. From a bunched start, he covered the opening kilometer at a steady pace before picking up speed over the second kilometer. He was off to a good run until he approached the water jump. Just as he was about to plant his foot atop the barrier, he slipped and tumbled to the edge of the pit. “Chest-first, then my elbow, and finally my face flat on the ground,” he recounted.

Maybe the muted heat or the broken stadium lights were to blame for the mishap. But soon after, Buenavista teetered on the brink of passing out, where the line between consciousness and unconsciousness blurred. Moments before collapsing, he saw his father rush toward him and cradle him in his arms. On that unusually dark night, embraced by his dad and surrounded by teammates, the world around him faded into pitch black.

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FINDING HIS FOOTING. Buenavista jumps over a hurdle and a water pit during his 3000-meter steeplechase event at the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (PHOTO COURTESY of Josh Buenavista FB Page)

Born on July 4, 2001, Edward Josh Buenavista lives, breathes and dreams track. As the firstborn son of Filipino long-distance running icon Eduardo Buenavista, it was only natural for him to follow in his father’s footsteps. This path started taking shape at 7 years old during his first competition in Pangasinan, the Milo Little Olympics, where he participated in the 800-meter and 1,500-meter events. At an early age, running for him was not yet about winning, but rather enjoyment, or in children’s terms, fun. “I finished seventh. I was already happy with that,” he said.

Over time, Buenavista’s view of the sport took a turn. From running for pure joy, he began hitting track ovals to chase better opportunities, both for himself and his family. Throughout high school, he was a scholar-athlete at University of Baguio. “My parents couldn’t afford the high tuition at that time, so I thought I could help,” he admitted. To keep his grant, he had to sustain a certain level of fitness, often forcing him to skip his first class in the morning for training and return at night for another session — the same sacrifice he endures until now just to afford college.

To be fair, no one forced young Buenavista into this path. Besides understanding early on how running could help him make a good living, he was “very passionate” about the sport, so he stuck to a structured, focused routine.

Buenavista’s hard work and passion quickly reaped rewards. On his 15th birthday, he made his international debut, competing among the finest young athletes at the Children of Asia International Sports Games in Yakutsk, Russia. He secured a silver finish in the 3000-meter event, the highest honor for the Philippine team that year. By age 18, he had already amassed numerous gold medals in the Philippine National Youth Games-Batang Pinoy and Private Schools Athletic Association of the Philippines races, on top of his victories in international events.

The Baguio native resembled his old man more and more as he forged his own track career. “I feel what others say, that I’m taking on my father’s trade,” he shared. 

In sports, it is not uncommon for athletes’ children to become athletes themselves. Research has found that the transfer of human capital helps explain this phenomenon. For economists, human capital refers to workers trade-specific skills that are academic and technical. But human capital also includes personal traits such as judgment, persistence and risk-taking, among others. Parents can pass along this human capital to their children, whether wittingly or unwittingly.

Growing up in the house of a two-time Olympian and knowing track and field, the community and the culture made a huge difference for Buenavista throughout his early career, especially now as a member of the UP Men’s Track and Field Team. For him, the marathon legend is many things — his dad, his coach and his biggest fan. “We understand each other,” he said. “He often watches and assists during training, giving advice when I need it. He keeps an eye on me thrice a week.”

Not only is Buenavista following in his father’s footsteps, he also draws inspiration from him, who has shown support since day one.

The elder Buenavista holds the national mark for multiple long-distance events — the 3,000-meter, 5,000-meter, 10,000-meter, half marathon and marathon. Buenavista dreams of achieving a similar feat someday. “I want to break at least one of my father’s records, because if I target all of them, maybe I’ll be too spent,” he quipped. While he admits to feeling the pressure of living up to his father’s legacy, he intends to take things in stride. “I’ll just give my best and see where it leads me.”

The Maroons trackster is well on his way to making a name for himself. During UAAP Season 85, Buenavista registered a new record in the 10,000-meter event with 32 minutes, 8.30 seconds to eclipse by 30 seconds the tournament’s best record of 32:38.88 set by Far Eastern University’s Nelbert Ducusin over 18 years ago. 

The event was not in Buenavista's territory. State U Head Coach Rio dela Cruz entered him hoping he could score points for the team. "That was my very first 10,000 meters competition. They put me there, no expectations,” he recalled. Despite having four events to conquer that day, he did not let that overwhelm him. His strategy was simple: stick to the plan and focus on one game at a time. “I convinced myself that I had only one game, so from start to finish, I gave it my all.”  

With an A-game in mind, Buenavista also smashed the 5,000-meter league record with a time of 15:16.37, earning his second gold. His victories anchored UP’s bid to retain the men’s athletics title with 358 points and capture its 20th crown in the event.

Buenavista’s UAAP triumphs were made even sweeter when during the awarding ceremony, he received the news that his records had booked him a ticket to the 2023 Southeast Asian Games. He traveled to Phnom Penh, Cambodia for the competition as the youngest delegate to represent the country. He placed seventh among 16 runners in the 5,000-meter event and sixth among nine in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. “It was my first time at the SEA Games. It’s a different feeling when you’re up against elites,” he said. He may have missed out on a podium finish, but he impressed many with his debut performance.

Amid all the 22-year-old athlete’s success in his budding career, there were moments he felt throwing in the towel and walking away. “I often feel like giving up. In the middle of a jog, I ask myself why am I here,” he reflected.  

College athletes spend an average of three hours a day training, sometimes with an extra hour for rehabilitation. College students study 10 to 13 hours a week on average to survive in a stressful environment. Student-athletes must balance both. “You’re not always passionate. It’s unavoidable to get tired and unmotivated. There’s academics, and adding everything, you really get drained,” Buenavista argued. Who can blame him when the heavy combination of school work and physical activity leaves him exhausted and conflicted?

Balancing different demands is already difficult, but Buenavista added that the financial constraints brought by the lack of sufficient support from the school and other sectors make it harder. "We struggle with sponsors and finances as a team. Our training allowance is 5,000 pesos for the whole season. We don’t have a varsity allowance,” he said. Most of them rely on the Student Learning Assistance System, a university program that offers financial aid to students who need help to cover their academic expenses. 

Athletics require more than a track oval or a road. To perform at a high level, athletes need adequate resources such as proper apparel, training equipment and nutrition. “We really need spike shoes. When the shoes deteriorate, they cause pain and increase the risk of injury. Sometimes, we have to make do with old shoes, which can compromise our performance and health,” Buenavista lamented. Money can make a big difference. For their team, it could mean having their own nutritionists and physical therapists. “We don’t have those resources right now.”

Whenever the harsh realities of being a student-athlete in a system that values them little weigh on him, Buenavista gives his father a long, hard look. “He used to say when he first came to the UP campus, it was beautiful, spacious and we had our own track oval. Back then, he only had one route — from Rizal to Roxas Boulevard and back, and it was smoky. He trained without a nutritionist or strength coach. He wore Converse shoes,” he narrated. “But look at him. He achieved more than anyone, even those who had money.”

A lot hangs on the line in Buenavista’s sports career. It is never just about his dreams alone, but also a chance to give his family a better life and to earn track and field the support it deserves. And complaining would only mean taking for granted everything he endured to get where he is now.

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As Buenavista lay in his father’s arms, everything went black. He could not see or hear anything. A sharp pain pierced his ears, and he thought they would burst. Then he woke up. “My body was stiff, like I was having a seizure. Blood dripped from my nose,” he said. He had been out for only a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Luckily, some football players were at the stadium that evening. Along with them was a doctor, who upon witnessing the accident, rushed to help him. “He pressed my nose gently. I didn’t feel any pain, but there was a pressure I couldn’t sense. My vision shrank, like a TV screen that lost its signal.” There, still in his father’s arms, he saw his life flash before him.

Nobel laureate Albert Camus once said, “Life is a sum of all our choices.” Every choice we make shapes our journey. Some choices bring us closer to our goals, while others take us farther away. But in the end, our choices — apart from the things we can’t control — determine who we are and where we end up. Maybe all the critical choices that Buenavista made in his life — taking on his father’s trade, dedicating his life to the sport he loved and giving his best to represent both his family and country with pride — led him to that fateful night when he ran on dimly lit stadium, on a tacky track that still radiated the heat of the day, and tripped over a steeplechase barrier. 

Nearly a month has passed since the accident, and Buenavista is back in good shape. He was taken to a hospital in Marikina that evening, where he underwent a CT scan and an X-ray. Other than a few abrasions on his leg and a broken nose, he is alive and well. We returned to the same stadium and retraced his steps along the track oval, where he had a near-fatal fall. His training was put on hold for a while as he needed time to heal, both physically and mentally. As he recounted how it all happened, his face lit up with gratitude. "I swear, I saw St. Peter at the gates," he said with a laugh, echoing his newfound appreciation for life.

Buenavista was lucky. It was not his time yet, so St. Peter must have stopped him from falling away. The apostle knew that while he already covered a long distance in his marathon of life, he still have miles to go until the finish line. The race is far from over. And he needs to get up and keep on running.

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*All quotes in Filipino were translated into English, and some were shortened for brevity.