thanks for the feedback,
I wanted it to feel like this was an exhausted guy who hadn't been hiking for a long time, quite out of shape, but without explicitly saying that. The option of running gives the player the choice, and by making a choice to walk you're actively invested in taking your time mindfully, rather than being forced. Hopefully enhancing a sense of wellbeing and calm.
The original idea was that talking to people, interacting with other characters and completing side quests would increase stamina but as the theme was developed and time drew short I kept it as it was.