When Haley Briggs takes off on runs with her older sisters, Stephanie and Stacey, there's almost as much talking as there is running.

Stephanie and Stacey, former standouts runners at Argenta-Oreana who now compete in cross country and track at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, get to run with their little sister only during breaks from school. Haley, an A-O freshman, said while running, the sisters talk about whatever is going on in their lives and share inside jokes that keep them laughing throughout the run.

"It's our bonding time," Haley said.

But there's one thing Haley - this year's Herald & Review Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year - doesn't talk about: As a freshman, she's already running better than either of them did in their high school careers.

This season, Briggs won the Okaw Valley Conference meet, took third at the Monticello Regional and was sixth at the Paxton Sectional. She saved her best race for last, placing ninth at state with a run of 18:18. The best one of her sisters did at state was Stephanie's 12th-place finish as a junior in 18:29.

"I don't rub it in," Haley said. "We compare times, but we're not competitive with each other at all. We don't get mad if someone beats the other's time."

Besides, she owes her sisters for introducing her to running at such a young age. She first ran with the Staley Striders at 9 years old.

"She didn't want to do it at first," A-O coach Holly Ravenscraft said. "But her sisters told her to go try it, and once she did, she's loved it ever since."

Last year, as an eighth-grader, Haley won the IESA State Meet. By the time she reached this year's state meet - while most of the first-timers were trying not to become overwhelmed by the atmosphere - Haley was so relaxed, it was as if she was running at home with her sisters.

"I'd been there before and knew what it was about," Haley said. "I was familiar with the course and I knew exactly what to expect. That was definitely an advantage."

Haley used that advantage to run her best race of the year.

"She just doesn't get caught up with pressure," Ravenscraft said. "In the bigger races, she relaxes even more. She just goes out there and has fun."

Haley doesn't feel the pressure because, like with her sisters, she doesn't look at it as a competition.

"For Haley, it's more of a lifestyle," Ravenscraft said.

"When you do well in a race, it's gratifying to see your hard work pay off," Haley said. "But to me, running is more of a way of life than it is a sport. At least that's the way I've always thought of it."

jconn@herald-review.com|421-7971