Every finish line is another beginning

At acornITy, growth is at the heart of everything we do. Growth in ideas. Growth in confidence. Growth in careers, communities, businesses and young people. Growth in the small acorns of possibility that, with the right support, encouragement and belief, can become something much bigger.

But growth is not limited to the workplace, the classroom or the world of innovation. It happens in every area of life.

Sometimes it starts with a business idea, a conversation or a challenge that seems, at first, completely impossible. And for acornITy’s founder, Steve Denniss, that challenge was running.

From "You Don’t Run" to marathon finisher 

Steve has recently published his memoir through AuthorHouse. On the surface, it’s a book about running. A story of an unlikely journey from self-confessed non-runner – or, as it was once expressed, “Don’t be silly, you don’t run” – to marathon finisher. Through tales of training, setbacks, and triumphs, it culminates  in the emotional completion of the Brighton Marathon, and later, the London Marathon.

More than a running story 

At its heart, this is not really a book about running at all. It's about the moment you realise that you are living inside a version of yourself that is too small. 

It’s about grief, family, humour, doubt, ambition and the quiet courage it takes to begin. Set against the poignant backdrop of Steve’s mother's passing, the memoir explores how love and loss can become unexpected catalysts for change. The narrative weaves together memories, gentle familial scepticism and the gradual evolution of personal ambition. What begins as a challenge gradually becomes a journey of self-discovery, resilience and transformation. 

There is something universal in the story, because most of us have our own version of the marathon. It might be running. It might be speaking in public. Changing career. Starting a business. Going back into education. Taking a first step towards an idea that has been quietly waiting in the background for years. 

Often, the reason we do not begin is not that we are incapable. It’s because the version of ourselves that stays still feels safer than the one that might fail publicly. That is where growth begins. 

Growth happens when we decide to begin 

Not at the finish line, but at the decision to start. As Steve reflects in the book, running did not change his life. It changed the way he viewed himself, and that changed everything. 

The real distance travelled wasn't 26.2 miles. It was the distance to bridge the gap between who he thought he was and the person he was willing to try to become. A better version of yourself.

That idea sits at the heart of acornITy. We exist to nurture visions and support growth, helping people, ideas and ambitions take root and develop. And when we start the journey, we realise that every finish line is another beginning. 

This memoir is a story for runners, especially those at the start of their running journey, but it’s also for anyone standing at the edge of change, wondering whether they are ready to begin.

Don’t Be Silly, You Don’t Run is available now through AuthorHouse, Amazon UK, Goodreads and other book platforms. Buy your copy today, and find out more about acornITy and how we support growth, ideas and ambition.