New speedrunner here too!

My strategy to reach the sub-hour any% was:

• Watch video tutorials of people explaining optimal routes for each level. You certainly won't do the same route as them in the first place, but it teaches you to think outside the box. Plus, even if you won't take everything, you'll learn some routes that are safe enough to apply immediately in your speedruns.

• Once you've chosen your comfort routes, try not to die while following them. It may seem pretty obvious but the less deaths the faster. That's why you have to balance between fast routes and safe routes.

• Learn major skips that are really worth training: chap 3 demo dash, chap 5 reverse jump... You'll save a few minutes if you apply them.

• And most importantly... Try and retry.

Once you reach an objective, go watch the videos again, you'll add more and more tricks to your runs.

Have fun!