Irene & Michele

Bad Ass Besties Podcast

Real Conversations. Real Friendship. Real Life.

Bad Ass Besties is a podcast hosted by best friends and fitness business owners Michele Hartwig and Irene Kok.

Both women are passionate about helping others become stronger, healthier, more confident, and more comfortable being themselves.

Michele is the founder of Ornery Mule Racing, a trail and ultrarunning company that hosts races throughout Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Irene Kok is an FDN Practitioner and nutrition coach who helps people improve their health, balance their hormones, and reach sustainable weight loss goals.

Over the years, Michele and Irene became each other's sounding board for life, business, health, confidence, wellness, friendships, and all the messy in-between moments that come with being women trying to grow through life.

Many of their favorite conversations happened during trail runs, long walks, road trips, coffee dates, and late-night phone calls. They talked through challenges, celebrated victories, shared lessons learned the hard way, and encouraged each other to keep moving forward.

Eventually they realized something.

Maybe other women would enjoy being part of these conversations too.

So they hit record.

Bad Ass Besties is a podcast about friendship, confidence, health, and figuring life out as we go. Nothing is off limits. From weight loss and hormones to beauty, aging, relationships, self-confidence, fashion, business, personal growth, and the challenges life throws our way, you'll find honest conversations without the filters.

We're not claiming to have everything figured out. We're simply sharing what we've learned, what we're still learning, and the conversations we'd be having anyway.

If you're rebuilding your confidence, trying to feel good in your body again, navigating a new season of life, chasing a goal, or simply looking for women who get it, you're in the right place.

Pull up a chair, grab a cup of coffee, lace up your running shoes, or join us on your next walk.

We'd love to have you along.

Strong women. Honest conversations. A little sweat, a little sparkle, and a whole lot of figuring it out together. 🩷