This week I went back for a blood test on Wednesday to see where my HCG levels were at. I had had the previous blood test 2 days before I miscarried. My doctor called and said they went up, but not by much. They were at 1750 before, and now they were at 1800. If I was still pregnant, they should have gone up much more, like to several thousand.

So he said I am most likely no longer pregnant. I have to keep going back for weekly blood tests until the number is down to zero. He said that could take 4 to 6 weeks.

I’m guessing it may take that long before I feel truly myself again. I did a practice half-marathon today and it was terrible. I almost gave up completely at mile 8, but somehow I kept going. It took a few minutes over 3 hours to complete the run and the entire second half of the run was pathetic.

I had hoped when I started training for this months ago that I would be faster than this by now. But I can’t really be too upset since I was just recently pregnant. That has to affect my endurance and my strength, right?

At this point, I’m hoping to finish the official half-marathon in under 3 hours. It’s as good as I can do right now.

This week’s long run was a fun, urban run around Portland. I went from downtown, out across the Casco Bay bridge to Bug Light house in South Portland.

Bug Light really is as cute as a bug, and it has a nice waterfront park. No one was flying kites today which surprised me. Usually tons of people are.

The second half of the run was through the West End of Portland, then up past the train station and around the Seadogs 5K loop, then through Deering Oaks and back up High Street to downtown again. It was fun being in a city again. My last few runs have been in the country and I have been alone most of the time. This run was filled with other joggers and bikers. It was good to feel the camaraderie during the run.