welcome to the addiction.

not sure on any advice to give you on technique, but i know how it is. when i first started i thought i was going to die going up hills. after working on it and going slow, my speed now on the same hills is faster and i'm not as out of breath, and i'm not in my granny gear.

sidenote: i hate when i get stopped in the middle of IT and get asked questions. i have the same person do it to me all the time when i'm half way up a hill. argh!!!!!

oh! just remembered. when i go down a hill right before going up another hill i try to go as fast as i can, that way the momentum of the hill before gets me half way up the next one and i don't have to work as hard or go down as many gears.