Running with a friend

A few times when I've been out running I've crossed paths with a woman I know casually from town - her daughter plays with mine occasionally. In the Sharon Classic we ran at about the same pace (she's usually quite a bit faster - about 10 1/2 minute miles - but had her 9 year old son with her.) We kept saying " let's go running sometime" and last week when she called me about something for work I suggested we pick a date and really do it. Turns out she's been a serious athlete - run marathons, swum 4 miles at a stretch - but nowadays a 4 miles run, including walking up hills, is more her speed. We did just about that much, maybe touch more. It felt fine to me - having the company was both distracting from the pain and motivating - there were times I'd have kept walking but she encouraged me to start running again. It was hot, and I don't think we were going even as fast as I usually do. But I did it, instead of what seems to have happened a lot this week, that is, not getting around to doing much of anything. These days I'm not feeling like an "athlete" much less a "triathlete" - it's all because I'm not truly committed in my mind to a next event. There's one on Saturday morning (long swim, still anxious), and another one on Sunday, and one on Thursday the 23rd in the evening, which is a perfect distance (shorter swim) but almost 2 hours away....one in September that's a short swim but long bike (19) and long-ish run (4.5) - hard to imagine I could be ready for that...what to do, with all the other things going one?

PS thanks everyone for the great advice about beating the soreness. I'll restock on the drinks, and make sure i move every day even after a really tough workout. On that note, off to swim.