Training night

Tonight I went with the Collingwood Cycling Club on a training run. We started off with 14 riders but lost a couple within the first 5 minutes, probably because they were beginners who could not keep the pace. It didn't feel right to drop them but what else could we do? Wednesday is beginner night.
We rode up to Rob Roy with yours truly being the second last to finish the climb. Then we made our way to McIntyre where we turned around and started doing wind sprints. We did four 1.5 km sprints, the idea being to "crush" yourself, or at least that's the term one of the experienced riders used.
And therein lies the problem. One of the reasons I stopped mountain biking a few years back was because I was tired of busting my ass, working so hard, gasping for air after doing a tough steep climb like Alpine. I was good at it but I simply wasn't ready to pay the price anymore to be a good mountain biker.
Now I see that to be a good road biker who has some climbing prowess I will have to feel the pain again. I will have to push the envelope, ride so hard sometimes that I am gasping for air, my legs feeling like rubber after going harder than I thought I could. I am not sure if I have it in me anymore. I am enjoying learning the finer points of road biking and this should help me to push myself but it remains to be seen whether the desire to push myself hard is that intense. Only time will tell I think.
As it stands right now my desire to improve is there and I seem to have some competitive desire back so let's hope I can keep up with the 70 year old guys in a month or two. Little steps. As soon as I rocket by those Old Age Security collecting guys I will set my sights on the guys who have just qualified for their Canada pension. Like I said, little steps.