2024/25 will be my first bull run and I have been patiently buying and holding for over a year now.
I congratulate you for your fresh optimism that there will be a bull run then for your alts.
Just wondering for those who were in the last bull run what it was like and how fast prices pump during the peak bull times?
You'll most likely get wrong answers only. But you haven't told us what you are hodling. There's really not any good estimate for that. You can take a look from your coin's history you have from the coinmarketcap. How long took it last time, and after that you just wish it would repeat. It however doesn't do that, history in the chart doesn't repeat itself, it can be similar but not exactly same. Your altcoin might also just die while others grow.
Any advice on how to prepare when it comes to being ready to take profit?
This is always hard. Don't assume you can sell the top. Very few people can. Settle for profit you can get and don't look back that because you might regret selling. Also looking back will most likely make you buy back too early as you think the bear is just a dip.
Best signals to me are delusional people. Influencers popping up everywhere, high level coverage in press of people who made it, jealousity all around and everyone selling will be called fudsters, and everyone around you is telling that you are crazy to sell. And i am now talking a top of altcoin bull market, not just one single altcoin.
Selling in the top reminds me of leap of faith in indiana jones. Your whole body tells you it's insane to sell now, but you need to take a leap of faith to an invisible ledge and hope it holds and you didn't make a mistake by believing in yourself.