A governor is attached to the throttle linkages. This is basically a control system designed to keep the speed of the engine constant. When you run into long grass, the blade and engine slows down. The fins on the flywheel or some other mechanism normally blow air onto a vane which is linked to the throttle plate. The force of the vane is balanced by a spring. When this force is reduced because the flywheel runs slower, the spring is able to force the throttle open further, letting in more fuel, giving more power and compensating for the loss of speed.
Check to make sure nothing is sticking or rubbing in this arrangement, restricting movement. If the throttle control is fixed, there shouldn't be any linkage from the controls on the mower to the governor/throttle linkages.
Speeding up and slowing down of the engine can also be caused by an incorrect fuel/air ratio and you may need to adjust this (if a screw is included on the carburettor). Some carburettors dispense with this adjustment and the ratio is fixed.
Reference: http://eugbug.hubpages.com/hub/Why-Wont-That-Lawnmower-Start
Eugbug
April 2013