No get up and go...

[rob love]

If it was a matter of timing then it would do it in reverse as well.
Did you have the new shoes arced to match the drums? I have seen vehicles where the brakes would grab violently on application because the arc was incorrect. Otherwise the only other problems you could have is using the wrong gear, or perhaps a problem in the rear differential?
One of the guys here (derk D) had a problem where he could not get in to first and second gear. He was having to take off in third and fourth all the time. Sure sounds like what you have as well.