This goes with the video I posted a bit ago about the EJ-runs. My fast version of the standard PentaRun is at a decent speed, but I can’t even attempt a fast version that’s ascending.
With the runs in this clip, it’s the same thing. I can descend well enough but ascending is choppy and sloppy and slower. It seems like I’m using economy picking descending and alternate picking ascending.
What escape motion are you trying to use (i.e. dsx, usx or dbx)?
The reason I ask this is because finding descending easier could suggest you are using some kind of dsx motion. This is shown in this thread:
Now this is only a tiny sample size, and really more information is needed to suggest this is a thing, but what was found here may apply to you as well 
I hope this helps
It was most certainly helpful. And yes, DSX appears to be my default. I know that part of the problem is not having played for 15 or so years and expecting to be like I was far quicker than is feasible lol
I think tracking plays a big part in how descending and ascending feels. If I try to play 2nps lines, my tracking feels very different when ascending compared to descending. I don’t know if this is a bad thing, but I think its something that you get used to/change over time, and eventually it becomes comfortable.
I also know that if my fretting hand messes up while playing a phrase, sometimes my picking hand can too, creating the illusion that my picking is incorrect, when actually its my fretting hand that is the problem.
I don’t know if any of this is relevant to you, but hopefully it might be useful