None of this info is new to me but it did give me insight as to why I find myself struggling to keep up when riding with a group. Go ahead and skip the first minute of talking head, unless you want to hear a schpill about being a Patreon.
#2. Following distance: I get separated from a group for this reason. I find when I'm following too close, I feel like I'm letting the rider ahead of me make decisions based on their skill level. I fall a little further back than the recommended 3 seconds so the decisions are mine based on my typically lower skill level. Also, I'm not aggressive on take off from a stop, increasing my following distance even further. Of course both of these practices present different safety challenges for me. Getting separated from the group and riding faster than my comfort level to catch up. Conundrum.