Thanks for a great read!
It is, indeed, just a "fast" hike for most of us and I will never stop being amazed at the weird things that happen with time/distance after A-Frame.
I'm just a tad older than you; I did my first PPA 25 years ago and was devastated with my time (4:12). I tried again last year, got sick and DNF'd. This year I finished... barely. So yeah, I'd kill for the time I put in as an out-of-shape kid.
At about 13500 feet this year, I told myself it was out of my system now and I could move on. On the shuttle, on my way down, at around 13500 feet I said "&%$# you, Pikes Peak. See you next year."
That being said... see ya next year? :-)