Dammit CDR...

Many of you may not know me as my time here is limited but with an answer directed towards the OP. Keep riding the the faster group but you will need to continue to drop the weight. As CDR said it is so important to ride/climb quickly. I am a big rider but being a bigger rider I have enormous power and can climb well at +200 pounds but I will call myself a bit of a special case.

When I was getting ready to turn pro I weighed a measly 156 pounds (on my frame that looks like a stick figure) and race very well at 180-200. Had a had a focus on anything but crits that weight would have come down into the low 170 range which would be a great balance for me.

For you to lose that weight set out small goals and stick with them, the weight will come off with time, don't get discouraged and like others have said give it some time, it will come and then doing back to back hard days will not be that big a deal.