Ditching my partner?

This weekend was great and a rare event, Joe and I raced in separate events. He completed his first tri on Sat in Newport and by acting as a fan I saw him at every section and lived up the role as Biggest Fan. He did the same for me on Sun at the Ocean's Run Half Marathon, taking his bike from point to point (even cheered for strangers). I had no expectations going into today's event, my training has been in the toilet and I never run alone. From out of no where I pulled a pretty respectable time (2:08:25 unofficial) and shaved close to 8 minutes from my half marathon time from the spring. Now my plan had been run today, establish a base (had been hoping for a bit better than 2:20), run Amica and get a better time by 3-5 mins and then cap off the fall with the last half being in Nov with an even better time. Joe had planned to run Amica, but if we run together I can almost guarantee a slower time. This makes no sense, he's a faster runner than me but together I don't pull good times on the distance runs. Part of it is we choose to stay together so when one poops out we both poop out. The other is when I get tired I depend on him to pull me out of it, today I had no one but myself. My point is proven by my half marathon PR which was set in Providence 2 years ago and again Joe was there as Head Cheerleader not running it.

All of this aside if he didn't train with me I wouldn't have accomplished all that I have up to this point. There have also been races that he has sacrificed his time for my finish, Newport Marathon and Bermuda Half Marathon. Lets be honest, I'm not elite nor am I serious about how I train; this is more about fitness and the experience. So is my goal of improving over the next 2 races important enough to ask him to find other events? And if so will I really be able to keep improving to meet my fall racing goals?

Miles trained today: 13.1

Days till RMH Providence Women's Classic: 7

Days till Amica Half Marathon: 21

Days till HP Maine Coast Half Marathon: 42