Year of the Franc – Year 7

Hello 2013!

2006: Year of the Franc

2007: Year of the Franc… Again???

2008: Year of the Franc or is it?

2009: Year of the Franc… Part 4

2010: Year of the Franc – 5th Part

2011: Year of the Franc (Year 6)

Year of the Franc is my official year end post since 2006 and the years may vary from a successful one to a turbulent one but at the end of the year, I always end up grateful.  There are always blessings to count if we just can look past the whining and the mistakes.  This is why I love looking back once a year to the year that was and appreciate how it was.  I think this was a good year and let me count the ways.

My Family

I could be in any part of the world with my travel-a-holic ways but there’s no place but home and there’s no better sanctuary but family.  Aside my routine trips home, we were able to spend some family time at a resort at the border of La Union and Pangasinan twice, Clark and here in Manila and even a zipline adventure at home.  It was not as grand as the previous years but it was a more intimate one.  I’ve spent all my Christmases and New Years at home with the family and it’s great that we are able to come up with a theme every year and a lot of fun and games that goes with it.  If only I can find a way that the Seniors would wave the no gift for those who are already working rule.

Travel

Not much travel for this year compared to last year as I had to settle for 3 out of the country trips, 2 in Singapore and 1 in Cambodia, 2 trips in Boracay for Skyathon and She’s Wedding,  a trip in Bohol with SGV Friends, a trip to Cebu to watch Ironman 70.3.  I also had countless trips to Subic, Clark, Bataan, Laguna, Corregidor, Caylabne for work and trainings.  I was also able to join my first Pinoy Tavel Bloggers Blog Carnival in When Traveler Met Blogger and was able to recap my Super 7 Shots.  Lastly, it was a milestone to be among the top travel bloggers of Filipino Bloggers Worldwide placing 4th.  I’m glad I could count on the support on family, friends, schoolmates, colleagues, runners and bloggers for this.

My Passion

I am torn whether this was a good one for my multisport career since I’ve spent so much time being slowed down by several injuries at the latter part of the year.  2012 was about experiencing and trying out new stuff.  I was able to do 3 duathlons (1,2,3), a beach run, two obstacle trail run (1,2) and a metafit race in three fearless challenges, an upmountain run, a zombie run and even been a zombie twice (1,2).  I was also able to set my half marathon PR of 2:18 at Subic and almost broke it at Condura.  It’s also nice being part of the regular must run events for me like Brooks, Adidas and Corregidor.  It’s also this year that I got some invites to run events and launches and some of my most read post are incoming race event primers.  So it was a good year after all.

My First Love

Writing was always my first love and 2011 was the year I launched Francramon.com but 2012 was the year I had made giant steps from just a hundred visitors per month to 8,000-10,000 visitors per month (Jetpack Yearend Report).  It was also the time I reached 100,000 page loads and was able to grow my readers base.  It always flatter me whenever people approach me during runs and mention that they read my blogs.  I’ve also opened a new section which is My Stories which features the short stories about the pathetic creatures of the Nowhere Kingdom and that bungling alien ZXIOXZ which I made in college and later on the Zombie Journals which featured the back stories of the different zombies of Outbreak Manila.  It was nice to cap the year getting a chance to meet the different bloggers of Filipino Bloggers Worldwide in the First Grand Eyeball. I was also able to write for Total Fitness magazine about Team Total Fitness and do some product review on a monthly basis.

My Work

A lot of the turbulence that comes year in and year out come from my work.  I don’t mention much about my work because I don’t want to end up whining in my blog.  Apart from all the difficulties that comes is that I was able to get past it and was able to find solutions to heartbeat-stopping problems.  While people envy my job because of all the travel perks, it’s also involves a lot of head aches and stressful situations.  These situations helped me become a stronger person and it was the way how I eventually evolved from being an auditor to being a complete finance person being able to raise funds, manage and market the business on a strategic standpoint and resolve day to day issues that come along the way.  It may not be the perfect environment but it was a perfect training ground and resolving issues and getting things done is what makes me appreciate my work.

My Friends

I don’t get to meet my friends as often as before  but I’m glad we do manage to keep track and be able to meet up from time to time.  I have friends who are out of the country, some of which I meet on my travels and some friends from school, work, blog groups, run groups and others.  I’m glad you’re among the first layer of support I get the whole year.  Looking to more meet ups in 2013.  New friends are definitely much welcomed.

My Team

It’s been two seasons of Team Total Fitness and will be entering the first quarter of the year with the search for new members on the third season.  Two seasons of Team Total Fitness had me a chance to meet, train and race alongside the most passionate athletes who just won’t walk the talk but swim, bike and run it as well.  It’s been quite a journey with the Team and in a few months, new team mates would be coming in for another season of Team Total Fitness. Looking forward to that.

365 Days and Beyond

I’ll be opening 2013 by reinstating my tumblr account, which is more of a personal account chronicling the next 365 days and be it a photo of a day, a catchy quote or an groundbreaking event.  I’ll make it a point to spend each day of 2013 differently expecting different sets of challenge to surpass for the day or fun-filled moment to look forward too.  Knowing that each day is gonna be different, makes it a lot more exciting.  It’s gonna be a new journey each day of the year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!