The "High Five" route in the Bitterroots in two pics: yesterday and circa 2006ish, doing the route for the first time with my dad when I was 17 or so.
I think FKTs are at their best when they come from a place of strong personal and emotional connection. When the act of trying for a record is just one aspect of your connection to a route or a place. The people you meet along the way; the experiences on the route in the weeks, months, or years before with the stopwatch off; and connecting into the history of the place are all equally important pieces of the puzzle.
Layering the experience of going fast and exploring mental and physical limits on top of those other aspects adds an overall richness to a life in the mountains.
For me personally, the High Five route has the deepest well of this history and connection. It's a route that lives in my heart as a special connection to home and how far you can progress.
Impeccable summer day up there on Wednesday. All the stars aligned to move efficiently, tap into a wonderful state of flow, and set what I believe is a new speed record. I'd absolutely love to see more scrambling-inclined runners experience this great route and raise the bar even further!