It seems fine. I guess the light load/easy terrain speed is a strain depending also on how you interpret "easy terrain". I can imagine doing it on a well maintained road.

Also choosing to go light/easy looks like a statement from a player "We gotta make it on time". It deserves extra speed. And without load of food/water/tent they need to do it in friendly and inhabited areas.

oh, I see, then case dismissed

I haven't played over half of the games I own. And I won't play them probably because it is so hard to find willing players. But I have so much fun just reading some of them I don't worry about it.

As long as it is fun for you, don't worry.

There is also some old AngryGM rant about biological and cultural traits of starting characters https://theangrygm.com/why-race-isnt-broken/

maybe try making the mechanical part of lifepaths as short descriptive abilities rather than stats? Something very narrow yet helpful. Check out this blogpost too http://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2023/08/pointcrawling-character-creation.html?m=1