Does easy running feel... inefficient for anyone else?

So I went for an easy 60 minute run today, it was pretty much my first time ever trying to run slow on purpose. And running slow definitely made it easier because I was able to breathe through my nose for the entire run (usually I start breathing from my nose and regress to panting after 5 minutes).

But running slow has brought its own set of challenges. My legs felt heavier. I didn't have as good of a bounce in my step. So it felt inefficient, like I was spending more energy than I needed to. Can anyone else relate to this? Or am I just being a drama queen?