Board Thread:Off Topic/@comment-24534644-20170213012304/@comment-25936766-20170224012733

Not really the same. She's not using her Semblance beyond the limits she had reached before. She's using it at the "normal" level, but while doing something she can hardly do: Hold Penny.

It's not like Sun burning through his Aura quickly due to him trying to push his clone beyond what he's done before. Ruby was using her Semblance like usual, but, well, just try to run or even jump while holding nearly 70+Kg.

The difficulty factor isn't in her use of the Semblance, but in trying to hold Penny while using it. Thus, she's not burning through her Aura any quicker because she's not pushing it beyond her limits. Pushing her body, but not her Semblance itself.

Going off your previous analogy, using one's Semblance at the usual extent, is like walking. Pushing it beyond the limits one has reached before, is like sprinting without practice. What Ruby did was like walking, not like sprinting....only that she was holding a heavy weight that makes said walking more difficult.