Rose Grant went into the Leadville Trail 100 MTB looking to defend her two-year reign in the women's pro division. For Grant, who announced before the start of the season that she would end her 10-year racing career at the end of this season, this was her final attempt to buckle the big shiny belt as a pro.

Grant finished on the podium at the 104-mile mountain bike endurance race in Colorado on Saturday, finishing second behind Hannah Otto (nee Finn Champ). She also moved up to fifth overall for a top finish in the Lifetime Grand Prix Series presented by Mazda.

"I feel like this season is a bonus tour in a way. Last year, I was wondering if I would continue racing this season. Last year, I was wondering if I would continue racing this season. I didn't know how to turn around," Grant said of his indecision to leave professional bicycle racing.

"I didn't want to continue racing because I didn't know how to quit or how to reinvent myself. Because my identity was so wrapped up in this one thing. The accolades that come with doing well were so addictive that I didn't want it to be me"

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For Grant, it was the Lifetime Grand Prix presented by Mazda challenge that helped him make the decision to continue racing for another season. The $250,000 prize money, split equally between the top 10 women and top 10 men with the best scores in five of the six off-road events across the U.S., is awarded at the end of the season.

"A top-three finish would be a crowning achievement, and a lot can happen," Grant said of the Lifetime GP women's rankings. Many of them have already missed races, so if something goes wrong with one of the remaining three, there's room to shake things up."

After Leadville, there was a change in the Lifetime GP women's rankings. Previous leader Sofia Gomez Villafane did not finish the Leadville event, so she received no points. Haley Smith, who finished third on Saturday, is now in first place in the series, one point ahead of Gomez Villafane, and Sarah Sturm, who was fourth in Leadville, has moved up to third place. Otto jumped up to fourth in the series. She is only 11 points behind the series leader.

Grant, a six-time national marathon champion and four-time mountain bike world champion, was looking forward to the final race of the series after Leadville, the Checkamegon MTB Festival on September 17 in Cable, Wisconsin. The final race is the Big Sugar Gravel, a classic 100-mile gravel event in Bentonville, Arkansas, on October 22.

"I like mountain bike racing more. I like the individual effort of mountain biking. I enjoy riding gravel, but I don't enjoy racing gravel.

"I like gravel races with singletrack, technical sections, and lots of climbing. But riding in a group or drafting with a bunch of guys is my least favorite scenario."

"Some of the gravel events I've attended have been scary for me. Off-road racing is now mountain biking and gravel. I first participated in Unbound because it was part of the Lifetime Grand Prix, which was my main competition this season. If I had been at the beginning of my career, I would have seen my weaknesses improve. But I was like, "Nah, I'm good to go. Group riding has never been a natural strength for me." [Grant, 39, lives in northwest Montana with her husband, Nelson, and their 9-year-old daughter, Leila. After the Lifetime Grand Prix, she said the time was right to focus on her daughter.

"There were some great opportunities in the Lifetime Grand Prix series, partnership opportunities. But I have confidence that I should transform and reinvent myself. I want to let go of structure so I can be more versatile. Especially with my nine-year-old daughter. She's at the perfect age to have adventures and make memories together."

She notes that there is more to life than just getting to the starting line and competing, but she is grateful for the opportunities that cycling provides and the emotional roller coaster that accompanies training and racing.

"I have had many heartbreaks, betrayals, and hard lessons in the sport. I can now have healthy boundaries of how much I allow my mind, spirit, soul, and body to be disturbed. It does not negatively affect me or my family," she explained.

"My husband is not competitive and enjoys life very much. I envy him when I see him. Sometimes I wish I could enjoy things without being so competitive. The respect I get from my daughter and how proud she is of me as an athlete is cool to see. If a mother has something she is passionate about and wants to pursue, I hope she will protect that space. Because no one is going to protect it for you."

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