One of the benefits of running Silent Hill with the in game time (IGT) tracked rather than real time is the runner can judge whether certain strategies work better than others. I would like to give an example of this at the very beginning of the game.

Disclaimer: This strategy is for IGT purposes, not for a real time attack (RTA).

First, after the loading screen of Harry walking, do not immediately press your skip button (for me that is X or triangle). If you watch the scene, Harry takes a few (real world) steps forward before standing still and saying “Cheryl. Where could you be?” Once Harry has stood still/begun saying that line, skip the scene and immediately run forward. If one skips the cut scene after Harry stands still, you save about 0.3 seconds over skipping the cut scene immediately.

Harry will shout “Hey wait…stop!” Then you’ll chase Cheryl, preferably five to fifteen degrees to the right of Cheryl’s distant image. A cut scene will play and Harry will take some extra steps into the alley. If you run to the alley in another way, such as running on the sidewalk or going too wide, Harry will not take as many extra steps into the alley during the cut scene as the effective method.

After that, make sure to the hug the left edge of the Alley, turning smoothly into the gate and avoiding the bonk (i.e. slamming Harry’s body into the gate).

Below there is a video demonstrating what I described. Thanks to Succinct and Punchy for his tutorial video; it provided the groundwork for this guide.

P.S. There are likely other rooms and areas in the game where research can be conducted on effective IGT strategies; this is just an easy example.