Alex, not sure I can help u with any% related speedrun because I intend to beat another any% glitchless category. I think ~3h20m. I'm all there. Anyway here u may find more knowledgeable ppl then me. Feel free to ask me though but not in this topic. Send PM on twitch or discord.

---so it seems the speed boost itself is irrelevant and there's no added benefit to performing this with a shield charge vs. a thunder strike--- True. Same for not being reflected in the stats.

Also it seems if you already have some +speed items on you (maybe boots/other things) or +speed from skills then running from speed boost will be even faster but i'm not quite sure about that. So +speed items still matters a lot.

Another interesting trick with swap weapons that I discovered and it might be useful for u aswell is this.

If you have same type weapons (it's not nessesary, just easy to perform) with same +- attacking speed and you swap between them in fight, what happens that swap instantly returns character to normal passive state and allows you do next attack right after bed. It all depends on atack animation tho so, with different weapons it might be much easy, w/ others - not. Rhythm is a key. Swap needs to be done right in the end of attack animation for best result. More difficalt w/ melee (especially with dual weapon), simple w/ throwing. w/ staffs nearly impossible i guess.

This trick might be helpful when you need speed-up fights with some bosses or thick enemies. Adding you +attack speed from literally nothing.

Sorry for that offtop)) Have nothing to say about colossus form skips yet. I need test it all by myself.

Gl with you run, tho))

John_Stanford, about speed boost - actually yes. I can share with you exactly what you need for constantly reproducing it. First requirment - character must be a male. No other options here. Girls have no specific animation of running that we needed. Second - you need to have ability to dual wield throwing weapons (from Runes or Warfare). So that we actually need for speed boost: male dual throwing weapons animation of running.

Sequence is simple: a) equip two throwing weapons; b) start running; c) swap to another weapon; d) do thunder strike (war wind, take down, shield charge) cancel and keep running or use something that update your baff status without stop (i.e. running through party member's aura or battle standart's aura etc.).

So, let's see how it looks in action))

EDIT: There is a way to do boost speed trick w/o using dual throwing weapons. Don't know exactly how to replicate it though. Currently it seems too random or difficult to set up.