The other day I was running on the sand and noticed that when I switched from the hard packed sand near the ocean to the loose sand on the beach, I slowed down quite a bit, even though I was putting in the same amount of effort. It makes sense. Some terrain is just harder to run over, even if it’s between wet sand and dry sand. It’s frustrating, of course, to be putting in the same amount of effort and not be going as far, but that’s just how it is sometimes. You have to just keep doing your thing and focus on what you can control—your effort. There will be ups and downs on the road you’re traveling and if you see a hill that will slow you down, then work even harder as you approach it, so that you can bring some momentum with you up the hill. And stay the course even if it means climbing a hill.