1. I think you have enough time, as long as your schedule allows you to to ride at least 2-3 times per week on a regular basis.

2. The fastest way to increase endurance on hills is to ride hills as much as you can.

I did the Livestrong Challenge in Philadelphia five times and that's a long hilly ride. I generally ride twice a week. I trained for the Livestrong rides by doing a relatively short, hilly ride one evening each week. My route varied from 16-20 miles. On weekends I did my longer rides, which were a mix of hills and flats. This worked pretty well for me, and although I haven't done a Livestrong ride in a while, I still like to do the weekly hill ride, because it keeps me ready for any terrain I might encounter on my weekend rides. I average about 14 mph on longer rides that have varied terrain, but closer to 11 mph on the short hilly rides.

Also -- I'd recommend getting used to the new pedals on flat, familiar terrain. It's easier to clip out on a flat surface, and you'll want to make sure you're comfortable with them before you add the hill aspect.

And, welcome to TE!