On Aug. 8, Forrest completed her three-month journey in Halifax. She averaged 40 km., walking eight hours a day and estimated 3.4 million foot steps for the journey.
“For me, 'crossing the line' was slapping my hand on the Skatepark sign I'd left from three months before - the folks walking with me realized that and clapped - that was a pretty amazing feeling,” says Forrest, who championed the benefits of walking on behalf of the Heart and Stroke Foundation during her trek. She also raised awareness of Brigadoon Village, a year-round facility being built in Nova Scotia for children and youth living with a chronic illness.
Brigadoon received an impressive amount of media coverage, phone calls and cheques as a result of her efforts.
Forrest’s husband, Jason, left work to join her on the final day and held her hand as they walked, surrounded by friends, over the MacDonald bridge towards media.
She says for a small part of her, it was just another day and that it almost didn’t feel like she’d done three months of them.
Some of her most powerful memories from that time span include walking with a “wonderful” woman from Parrsboro on to Spencer's Island and having the most honest talks with her.
“Some of them were about how families aren't sharing what they used to in terms of time and meals and activities together - we shared personal family memories as well.
“We rounded this bend in the road past a perfectly groomed church and suddenly we were coming through lush green bushes crowding the road on both sides and the ocean was at our feet, growing and growing until it was upon us, and I felt completely uplifted and solitary in my happiness at that moment,” says Forrest.
“I will also never forget singing loudly into the fierce wind on Smokey Mountain coming down off the Cabot Trail, a song from the musical Hair, and laughing spontaneously while being jostled and buffeted. With views all the way to Glace Bay in front of me, I felt like I might be lifted up and carried away any moment,” says Forrest.
When asked what advice she would provide anyone who wanted to tackle a similar achievement she says she’d tell them that even if they were unsure whether they could finish/achieve their goal, it is in them to complete it.
“Even to embark upon an aborted journey would be well worth the effort, they would take something worthwhile away,” she says.
“They will find within themselves reserves of strength because the human body has them at the ready. I would also tell them to throw aside plans of stringent time-bootcamp schedules and give themselves lots of adjustment time and healing time and pampering time.”
For Forrest, interactions with individuals and hearing their stories were a major factor in continuing.
“Those types of connections with others were what made me wake up every morning and say to myself, I'm keen to get going - what am I going to experience today?" she says.
