a thought...any way you could go down "part" of the hill and turn around? each week go a tad bit farther?
I used to ride with an extreme hammer head group...I would be able to keep up for less than a mile (their warm-up...but I had already rode 5 miles to the start so I was already warm) The route was a 35 mile out and back...I would turn around way early and eventually they would pass me up again but it was ok cause I would race to see how close to the start-finish before they actually did catch up. My hubby was always with the faster crowd and sometime he would slow and stay with me, sometimes he would blow by me, but he would always wait at the start-finish cheering me on!
Glad to hear you are sticking with it!!!
I am a nobody; nobody is perfect, and therefore I am perfect.