Edgewater Mom Officially Named an Ironman

On Sunday evening, after more than 12 hours, a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run—Edgewater mom Rachelle Synoracki crossed the finish line in Lake Placid, NY and heard the words she had been waiting for:

“Rachelle Synoracki, you are an Ironman.”

“It was a moment I will never forget for as long as I live,” Synoracki said.

With her family surrounding her, Synoracki celebrated the moment she spent a year training for—completing the Lake Placid Ironman.

“It was just awesome knowing they were there and having them with me when I crossed the finish line,” Synoracki said.

Not only was completing the Ironman a personal ambition for Synoracki, she also raised $2,000 for local charity, the Check-6 Foundation in the process. The organization aims to provide aid to serious and terminally ill children and veterans in need.  

When it comes to biking, swimming and running 140.6 miles a certain mental toughness is required. As Synoracki awoke at 4:30 the morning of the Ironman, she said she just kept things business as usual.

“I just wanted to do a normal routine,” she said. “I had a cup of coffee and biscotti, laid out everything I needed and checked my bag…The swim part is my favorite part and my strongest, so once we got in the water to warm-up I was like ‘OK it’s just a workout.'”

Synoracki said talking to the other participates during the warm-up helped calm her nerves as well.

“If I can connect with another person who is doing the same crazy things that helps a lot,” Synoracki said.

During the actual race, Synoracki said it was her family that kept her going. During the running portion she was able to see them multiple times as the route wrapped around. She said just seeing her kids kept her going. 

With a year of training and an official Ironman title behind her, Synoracki said she and a friend who competed with her were left feeling a little bit like, “well what do we do next?”

“It was kind of like day after you get married—you do all the preparation and then you wake up the next morning and it’s all over,” Synoracki said.

However the immense feeling of accomplishment is still fresh in Synoracki’s mind, and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

“At the end I was like ‘wow I did something many people don’t even consider doing.' I really did do this and when I finished I was smiling at the end,” Synoracki said.”

See Also:

• Edgewater Mom Gears Up for Ironman