Am I going too slow during my easy runs?

I think you should focus on getting faster before concerning yourself with easy days. Don't look at your watch and try to be "pleasantly tired", as Lydiard would say, after non-workout days. Good luck.

You are likely in ~21minute 5k shape, yes?

Generally speaking, if you are performing 'workout' days and/or long runs during the weak, then your 'rest' days, which might also be considered 'recovery' days, are NOT too slow.

The answer to your question may have some slight caveats, depending upon what the rest of your program looks like, and where you are in that program; i.e., whether you are more in the base-building phase and/or peaking for a race. But still, the case can be made that those considerations generally don't enter into the equation, and your 'rest/recovery' days, even regardless of pace, cannot be too slow.

Even if you are in a low-mileage program, and performing one or more workouts per week, and consider what you are calling 'rest' days as an important part of total-mileage in building and maintaining aerobic fitness, nonetheless, I think a 9min/mile average pace for those 'non-workout' miles are plenty fast for your apparent fitness/class.

Your easy pace is fine. Anything in the 8:30-9:30 range is great for a 21 minute 5k runner. Slower if hilly, hot, or recovering from a hard day. A bit faster if you’re feeling great. Your friends are probably running their easy runs too fast if they are also 21 minute 5k runners.

I know 16:00 runners that run easy mileage at 7:45.

That's a 28:06 10K, not 5K.

28:06 is roughly 13:30 for 5K.

13:30 for 5K is about 4:21 per mile pace.

7:00 is about 60% slower than 5K race pace.

60% slower than 6:45 pace (21:00 5K) is 10:48.

9:00 per mile is not too slow for easy pace for a 21:00 5K runner.

https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=152890

Ideally, you would score a Garmin 45 or 245 (which have excellent optical HR measurement, even on smaller wrists, so that you don't always have to fiddle with a strap), and then see what pace of your recovery runs keeps your heart rate below 75% HRmax.

Your easy days are fine. I have seen 13:30 guys jog easy days at 10 minute pace. You are missing the speed and need to work on your tolerance and love for it. Start throwing in short fast interval workouts into the mix; all out 100-300m repeats, focus on being fast and moving efficiently. Keep the workout volume to 1500-3000 meters total; do this 1-2 times per week and you will be running 19:00 in a couple months.

Lasse Viren (5k olympic gold in 72 and 76) would often run 8:30 pace on his easy runs. He would also run some pretty killer workouts. There were people on my daughter's XC team who would do easy runs at 11 min pace and run sub 20 for 5k in races. They also did some tough workouts right before the season.

Don't worry about your easy pace. There is a reason it's called EASY. Always ask what the purpose of the workout is. On easy days you are primarily supposed to recover, still get some HGH production and a bit of aerobic development. If you get your HR even up to 60% you achieve max stroke volume according to several studies.

Like a couple other posters, I think you could do with a couple more quality sessions. For you, at your level, it could be things like 4-5x800m at 5k pace or 6x300's at mile pace. Also, a couple times a week do 8x100m strides at about 85-90% effort. You will improve. It's what you do on your hard days that you should focus on. Those matter.

Also, how many mpw are you doing?

TLDR.

But the answer is NO. You have easy days workout days and race days. Run appropriately.

Recovery runs are just that, for recovery. Go with how you feel as there should not be overall fatigue. As Bill Bowerman once taught, you should finish workouts feeling more like a tiger, don't overdo it. You have a long future ahead, don't push.

I didn't even read your post, but I know the answer is no.

Hah.....thanks!