CrossFit Star Alec Smith On Prioritising A Family Over A Wedding
For years, Alec Smith was known for his incredible strength as an elite CrossFit Games athlete. Since coming out publicly in 2018, he has also been a powerful source of visibility in a sport with few openly gay men. Now, Smith is defining strength in a new way by putting his future family ahead of everything else, including a wedding.
A different kind of life goal.
Speaking on the Out of Bounds podcast, Smith opened up about his plans with his fiancé, fellow fitness enthusiast Riley Hedstrom. While the two have been engaged for three years, walking down the aisle isn’t their main focus.
“I think that number one for us is starting a family and then eventually having some type of celebration or ceremony,” Smith said on the podcast. “So, I think our order is a little bit different than traditional people’s orders are.”
Their path to fatherhood has been difficult. Smith shared that they have already endured seven failed embryo transfers. The emotional and financial toll has forced them to pause and reconsider their next steps.
On visibility and losing friends.
Smith’s decision to come out was a huge moment. He recalls the pressure of receiving countless messages asking about his sexuality as “suffocating” before he decided to share his story. The reaction was overwhelming, in both good and bad ways.
“The community was the biggest part… there were so many DMs and comments that just brought tears to my eyes,” he explained, though he also acknowledged the fallout. “There were a lot of close friends of mine that I competed with that unfollowed me at the time.”
When asked about his own inspirations, he pointed to a major moment in LGBTQIA+ sports history. “The first one that pops in my head is Gus Kenworthy kissing his boyfriend at the time on the Olympic stage,” Smith said. “That was so cool to see.”
The practical side of building a future.
A hip arthritis diagnosis has forced Smith to step back from competing at the highest level, but his focus has clearly shifted. Now, the biggest challenge is a practical one many couples face, money.
“Weddings are not cheap,” he admitted, noting that the cost of a wedding is a significant hurdle when compared to the expense of continuing their efforts to start a family. With Hedstrom’s “huge extended family” to consider, the couple is making a tough but clear choice about where their resources, and their hearts, are truly invested.
