Is Pushkar Mullheur Swiss or British?
No two days are alike at the 3,100-mile race. In the “bubble of the race,” as well as the main story of a group of runners pushing their own boundaries, numerous little cameo side stories emerge.
While helping one morning at the race, a chance comment from Pushkar led to one of those moments in an intriguing conversation. Pushkar, in passing one morning, suddenly said to me, the British volunteer, ”Do you know I am British?” At first, I thought he was joking, but he followed this up with, “I have dual nationality.”
Having known Pushkar for many years, we have shared the odd joke now and again. I still thought he was Joking.
“ How on earth can you be British?” I said, “ You seem very Swiss to me.”
“ No, I was born where they have the horse racing. So I can claim British records!”
It was all getting a little weird, so I let it drop at that moment but picked up the conversation a few days later.
Tarit: Pushkar, can you tell me where you were born?
Pushkar: Epsom, just outside London. ( Epsom has a famous horse racing track, hence the reference to Horse racing)
Tarit: How did you come to be born in Epsom?
Pushkar My parents and my sister lived there for two years.
Tarit Were they working in Britain?
Pushkar My father was, yes.
Tarit And when did you move to Switzerland?
Pushkar 1973
Tarit So you were very young.
Pushkar One year old.
Tarit But you said you would like to claim a British record.
Pushkar Well, I'm an Englishman! Because I was born in Britain, I took out dual citizenship. I'm a British citizen, so I guess from my point of view, it seems normal. Because I am British, I can have a British record.
Tarit Do you feel more British or Swiss?
Pushkar It changed over the years. Well, if I had to choose, I think I would choose Switzerland. From birth, I am British, and also Austrian.
Tarit British and Austrian?
Pushkar My ancestors are from Austria. So when I was about nine, my mother organized for the children and herself that we give up Austrian citizenship to the Swiss. And so from all that point I feel not really bound by these nations. I feel more like an earthling, a citizen of Mother Earth. And if my soul is British, as a child of hers, then I feel I can claim the record as hers. And this is actually good enough for me, you know. If the outer recognition is not there. I don’t really care.
Tarit But do you have Swiss multi-day records at the moment?
Pushkar Yes.
Tarit You're the fastest Swiss runner to finish the 3,100-mile race?
Pushkar Yes, yes.
Tarit Okay.
Pushkar At the beginning of the race this year, I had a strong British feeling I was thinking of adding for the first time a British flag to my name on the scoreboard. But now because the Swiss Media started really to pick up on the news of me running this year's race, I did not want to confuse them even more. They don't know about this whole thing (dual Nationality). So, this is why I did not add it. So, anyway, all is good I am happy to be Swiss.
Tarit But in some ways, you feel like you are a…..some kind of planetary citizen?
Pushkar Yes, definitely. I was even thinking of running… if I get to the finish with the United Nations flags.
Tarit OK!
Pushkar Or even like with......almost like four-nation flags. Swiss, Austria, Britain.....and Bulgaria.
Tarit Bulgaria? Where did that come from?
Pushkar Yeah, Bulgaria, but I was in Bulgaria when I became aware of the Sri Chinmoy Centre.
Tarit So. Dealing with reality! How many times have you run this race now?
Pushkar This is the fifth time. My best time was 48 days. I think 8 hours and something.
Tarit Do you think you will go faster this year?
Pushkar I'm pretty sure, yes.
Tarit But you are much older now than when you first ran the race.
It's been over 10 years?
Pushkar Yes. I think also I gained all this other experience in between. I'm speaking mainly of the spiritual experiences you accumulate over the years. That also helped me to be where I am now and inwardly stronger. Because, like in the previous years I ran, it was already like a kind of pilgrimage and not a race. From my inner feeling, it went up to another level. And frankly, it was great, it was a pretty good race. I definitely have the feeling, and I don't know if I'm right, but after 2012, when I did my last 3100-mile race, in the next few years, I did beat quite a few records of mine at Shorter distances. I think it was just the inner determination, inner calmness and tranquillity I received through running the 3,100. It helped me to stay focused, and go more to my limits and beyond in shorter races.
Tarit So it's like over the years, your body has become adapted, but you inwardly feel you're better prepared as well to deal with all the challenges the race is throwing at you.
Pushkar On the outer level, I feel better prepared. I mean, I went for six months, every month, to see Rupasena in Vienna to check me out with various therapies to increase my health. I also went to Aklanta in Germany three times and did the whole body cleansing process. That was with the idea of my body being on a different level health-wise and much stronger. It gives me the feeling of confidence that I am in good health and so that side of things will not limit me on the physical side, as I really want to get the most out of the race.
Note. Rupasena and Aklanta are both doctors within the Sri Chinmoy Centre. Simplified, as well as treating specific symptoms, they both take a wider, holistic, approach to building the body up to improve life-long health.
Tarit Well, so far as of Day 37 you are doing well, Thanks for enlightening us on your birthplace and your overall approach to the 3,100-mile Race
Footnote 1. Pushkar has a best time for the 3,100-mile race of 48 Days 08 Hours, 22 minutes and 16 seconds. At the end of day 38, he had completed 2359 miles. If he maintains his daily average of around 62 miles/100km a day, he will finish towards the end of Day47 and surpass his previous time for the race,
Footnote 2 I looked into the dual nationality idea. I was pretty sure what the answer was, and was proved correct. Pushkar's best 3,100 mile time is currently the Swiss record. He probably holds a few more intermediate Swiss records at other distances as well. If he wanted to claim British records, he would have to declare himself British to the Athletics Federation and stay British!! He can't be Swiss AND British at the same time. He has to decide which. That is something he will have plenty of time to think about in the next ten days before he finishes the race.
It’s incredible what thoughts and conversations float around in the journey of 3,100 miles!
