Athlete Spotlight: Jon Samrai – Ultra, Trail & Triathlon All-Rounder
Athlete Spotlight: Jon Samrai – Ultra, Trail & Triathlon All-Rounder
Some athletes specialise in one discipline. Jon Samrai isn’t one of them. From pounding the trails in ultramarathons, to taking on brutal triathlons, to testing himself in backyard ultras, Jon thrives on variety and the constant challenge of doing something harder than the last time.
Based in Sutton Coldfield, Jon’s biggest achievement so far is completing the Full Ironman at Les Sables d'Olonne in 2025 — a race that pushed him to rethink and refine his fuelling strategy like never before. That discipline now feeds into everything he does, whether it’s a high-intensity triathlon or an all-day ultra.
Jon is also a top age-grouper, recently finishing 1st in his Age Group at the Birmingham (Alderford Lake) Sprint Triathlon 2025 with a blistering time of 1:14:15:
Race Calendar
Jon’s got no shortage of big targets in sight (Mrs Samrai look-away):
2025
- Deadly Dozen – 23 August
- Tri Relays – 30 August
- Backyard Ultra – 13 September
- Warwick Triathlon – 28 September
- Ultra X Madeira – 1–2 November
2026
- Chester 100 – 18 April
- Ironman 70.3 Alcudia – 9 May
- 13 Valleys Ultra – 26 September
Fuelling Philosophy
Jon is aiming for 100g carbs per hour, balancing BareFuel with other trusted products like Tailwind, Precision gels, and electrolytes. He’s also a big believer in planning nutrition in detail and sticking to it, even when your body tells you otherwise:
“Always write down your nutrition plan and stick to it. Your mind and body will tell you not to eat sometimes, but you need to push through and stick to the plan — or you’ll be in trouble.”
For electrolytes, Jon runs with 1500 PFH tabs — one per hour — to keep things in balance across long and hot efforts.
Why Highland Fuel?
Jon isn’t just another athlete joining the team — he’s been part of the journey from day one. As one of the original testers, his feedback was instrumental in fine-tuning BareFuel before it ever hit the public.
“I tried Highland Fuel because it’s come from a friend I trust, and I know he’ll have built a great product. From the samples, the taste and consistency are spot on.”
Why We’re Backing Him
We’re proud to have Jon representing Highland Fuel because he embodies exactly what we’re about — relentless drive, smart preparation, and a willingness to test and adapt. His ability to perform across multiple disciplines makes him a versatile voice in our athlete community, and his long-term input as a tester means he understands the product inside out. By supporting him now, we’re continuing a journey we started — and there’s plenty more to come.
Follow Jon’s adventures across ultra, trail, and triathlon as he continues to test himself — and Highland Fuel — in some of the toughest events out there.
📲 Follow Jon’s journey: @jonsamrai
