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imaginesfromtheupsidedown · 4 years

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Oldest Friend

A TMR/TDC Gally x FEMcharacter

hello hi again lol. it’s been over two years I believe since I last posted (I got locked out and finally found a way back in). I took down my first two parts of this Gally imagine, I didn’t like how I originally went with it and had a very long time to go over it lol. Again, I did not read Kill Order, I’ve read all the other 3 books and seen the movies so this was me creating my own character and pairing her with Gally and throwing them into the story, before and after the mazes, as I pictured in my head. Let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see with this story and feedback is appreciated :) I already have multiple parts written for it and they’re all pretty lengthy so if lengthy isn’t your cup of tea I’m sorry but that’s just how I write.

Triggers: as of rn I don’t think there are any but lmk if I need to put one :)

word count: 4306 (again, I’ve always written lengthy stuff and can shorten or add more to the next ones if preferred, I just always want to make sure the backstory and details that are in my head get put in)

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At first this was all so scary. They were ripped from their families and taken to a WCKD facility where they lived in dorm-like rooms and forced into classes and to push themselves in ways they never had before. None of them really understood why they were there. Of course, they had been told a watered down story of why they were there. But they still didn’t get it. Some of it started to make more sense as they got older, their days consisting less of their in-class studies and more of “hands on” learning.

As memories of their families and old lives faded, they started to get comfortable with their new skills they had acquired. Some excelled more academically than others and some excelled more physically, which made it easier to sort them where WCKD needed them. They usually saw each other when it was time to eat, about a hundred teens packed into a giant cafeteria. But otherwise they were usually kept around the others who they “worked” with or shared their rooms with.

They all had met the first day in the new facility, around 7 and 8 years old. They were ushered into a classroom with all white walls and flooring, with matching uniforms and scared expressions. That’s when they were given their new names and the purpose of why they were there. As time went on they formed their little friend bubbles, and still ate together now that they spend their days apart.

They were the closest thing to best friends as they could possibly be in that place. Newt, Minho, Alby, Gally, and Siggy. A few of them even got to bunk together. They usually sat with a few of the people who worked in the labs and facilities crew now, who they had met way back when in that empty classroom. Sitting around eating, laughing, telling stories, venting, and hanging out as teens should.

The two of them that were the closest were Gally and Meghan. If you were to ask anyone in the group they would probably have said that the two were acquaintances at most; Meghan was on the softer side and barely spoke, while Gally was usually picking fun at everyone and the most talkative of them all.

Gally was one of the kids who turned out to be physically inclined. He spent his days building things and with the construction crew. At first it was just a lot of lifting and the occasional construction of small buildings or labs. But lately they’ve had the crew traveling out into the desert to landscape and start to put the walls of their arenas together.

Meghan was someone who had great focus with her work and was shuffled into the labs with the likes of Thomas and Teresa. Occasionally she would spend time in the medical wing as Teresa’s shadow, but her specialty was coding. She was someone they counted on when the computer systems would crash or help them to create new programs to help further their studies. They usually tried to spend s couple days a week in the medwing, and that’s exactly when she had her first encounter with Gally outside of their little bubble….

“Gally! That’s enough!” she scolded him, pushing him into the nearest exam room and into a chair. He scowled at her while he started to roll his sleeve up. “There are other people in here, too. Besides, we usually respond to ‘please-and-thank-you’s’ better.”

“Just need it cleaned…” he mumbled. The gash in his arm went from his elbow halfway to his wrist, and there were a few splinters around it that she had to pick out before she could do anything else. He sat expressionless while she worked, biting the inside of his cheek.

“So. What’d you do this time, clumsy?” she asked, trying to keep him distracted from what she was doing.

“Some dumbass didn’t secure the lumber right while we were loading the burgs… whole thing just crashed down on us while we were trying to move it. Figured it would hurt my arm a hell of a lot less that it would my head.” He huffed. She pursed her lips and kept digging the splinters out of his arm. He wasn’t wrong about that. Stitching up an arm is a million times better than unzipping a body bag.

After all the digging was done the wound was fairly easy to clean so she began to stitch it up, his leg bouncing up and down as she started. When she’d catch him glancing at her she would try to give him an apologetic smile, but he’d just turn away. Toward the wider part of the gash is when he couldn’t help but wince away.

“Here, sit still for a sec, okay?” she got up and got the numbing cream but he grabbed her with his good arm.

“Just stitch it already! What, you think I can’t take it?” his cheeks were flushed. She plopped back down and took a big scoop of it anyways, giving him a stern look.

“Gally, I mean this in the nicest way. Shut up.” His cheeks flushed again and he turned away, but he was visibly less tense as she started to smooth the cream around his arm. “Feel alright now?”

“Mmhmm.” He sighed, leaning back and closing his eyes. She finished up the rest and instructed him on how to keep it clean and when to come back to get them removed. “You act like these are the first stitches I’ve ever gotten, Meg.” He laughed, earning an eye roll and giggle from her.

“Hey, just gotta be able to say I told you.” She pulled his arm back toward her and inspected her work while he stayed slumped in his chair. It already looked so much better than when he walked in. She mindlessly ran her fingers up and down the underneath of his arm while she looked, and after a few moments he bolted straight up and yanked himself away from her.

“The hell are you doing?” he mumbled, crossing his arms. She turned and started to clean everything up to hide her red cheeks. After a few awkward seconds of silence he sighed, “Sorry, just irritable I guess.”

“I.. it’s fine. Here-” she walked over to the exam room door and shut it, then closed the blinds. “Go ahead and lock the door after me, I’ll give you the room and say I gave you pain meds that knocked you out. Should get you at least a few hours for a nice nap. If you want.” She reached for the handle when he caught her arm.

“Hey… thanks Meg.” They both blushed as his hand lingered. “I promise not to be a big ol’ jerk next time.” She laughed and opened the door.

“Just keep the door locked and don’t tell on us.” With one last little smile she closed the door behind her.

“Hey, Meg.” Gally breathed, slamming his dinner tray on the table. She jumped at the noise, then gave him a grin.

“Gally.” A familiar blush crept up on his face. They both looked away and began picking at their food while everyone was talking. Siggy was going on and on about his latest attempts in the kitchen, getting a laugh from everyone. They joined into different conversations, occasionally stealing glances at one another before quickly looking away again.

They all started standing up and taking their trays toward the dirty bins. After she dumped her plates and slid them into the dirty dish shoot, she turned and made eye contact with Gally, only to glance away again to tell them all goodnight. When Gally went to wave to her she saw him wiggle his fingers. She was very used to their little signal but her heart still jumped a beat every time. She gave him a smile and waved back, wiggling her fingers right back at him. He cracked a huge smile and headed off back toward the boy’s hall, sneaking one more look before going through the double doors.

Just a little longer, she told herself. This was how she and Gally spent most of their nights. They’d go back to their rooms, go through the motions of getting ready for bed. Showering, brushing their teeth, putting on their pajamas, gossiping with their roommates, etc. Then they’d wait for everyone to be asleep and make their way to an empty hallway. The hall was basically used for storage, and no one was ever there after hours. The only reason they even new it existed was because they had stumbled upon it by chance one day. Of course, Meghan watched it for days to make sure that no one frequented the area and even still checks the security cameras every morning to make sure that no one would get close to catching them out of bed that late. Luckily she also spotted that a corner of the hall, the corner right next to the door, was covered in a shadow and couldn’t be seen by the cameras from that angle.

Soon, her room was filled with light snores. Very, very quietly she slid out of her bed and pulled the covers back over the pillow. When she got to the door she glanced one more time around the room, then tip toed out into the hall and shut it softly behind her. Staying as close to the wall as possible she made her way toward the labs.

When you look at the security footage almost every day, you soon realize where the blind spots are. It wasn’t too hard for her to stay out of the view of the cameras. All she needed to do was stay close to the wall, in the shadows and in the corners. Since the hall they met in was basically abandoned, there was only one camera that aimed down the middle of it. She cracked the door and slid through it, quickly but quietly closing it behind her. It always made her feel so bad ass when she would get there and back without being caught. That feeling, along with her soul, left her body when someone grabbed her from behind. She started to scream but a hand clamped around her mouth before she could.

“You trying to get us caught!” Gally whispered. He let her go and she relaxed, giving him a playful punch. Neither could help the smiles on their faces. This was their favorite, hiding in this dusty room. They would sit and talk for hours. They gave each other the comfort they knew WCKD would never give them or care if they got. There was something about being around each other that made everything okay.

They went over every second of their day. The good, the bad, the sad, the frustrating. Everything. Gally was in the middle of ranting about having to spend all day in the desert when he tapered off. She gave him a silly look as he reached over, taking a stray hair and tucking it behind her ear. She felt her cheeks get hot as he kept looking at her. After the longest second of her life he jumped right back into was he was saying. Talking, joking, dreaming, complaining. The rest of the night she felt half there; half of her listening, half of her stuck in that moment where he was touching her.

They sat there for a bit longer before he glanced at his watch, frowning and standing up. She was definitely ready for bed but didn’t want to leave their own little hide away. He must’ve read her mind because he gave her a little smirk and reached his hand out for her.

“C’mon, Meg, you know we can’t stay here all night.” He pulled her up quicker than she expected, causing her to trip right into his chest. This time both their cheeks went red and she gave him a little push.

“Geeeeez, Gal, you trying to help me up or rip my arm off!” she headed toward the door and he grabbed her hand, twirling her as they went.

“Hey, why not though? An extra arm would come in pretty handy out there.” He teased, earning a slap-happy giggle from her. They stared at each other for a few silent moments, neither of them knowing what to say. She knew they’d have to head back to their rooms if they wanted to get any sleep at all.

“Ugh… yeah we should go.” She mumbled, motioning toward the door. He nodded his head and shrugged, reaching his arm toward her. Her heart jumped; she could feel her pulse quicken. She stretched her arms right back toward him, wrapping them around his waist and resting her head on his chest. He froze for a second before resting his arms around her.

“Uhh.. thank you?” he chuckled. Her heart dropped and the heat returned to her cheeks; he wasn’t reaching to hug her… he was reaching for the door. She gave herself an internal kick in the ass before letting go. Of course, she just had to make it awkward. But a small part of her was over-the-moon. They both slid out the door, sticking to the shadows. They shared a final look at each other and mouthing their goodnights, taking off back to their own hallways and into their own rooms again.

Her mind raced as she snuggled into her covers, trying to dissect everything she was feeling. Why the hell was he making her so nervous? He hadn’t been acting any different… but… maybe it wasn’t Gally who was different? Maybe it was her who had changed... noticed new things about him… FELT different things about him…

Snap out of it! She told herself Even if he were to see her in the same light as she saw him, what sort of time could they possibly have together? WCKD had every intention of moving forward with their newest generation of captives, of sending them into a terrifying and uncertain future. Why start ANYTHING when it’ll most likely end in heartbreak? And that’s assuming WCKD would even allow there to even be “anything”.

A few hallways over Gally was tossing and turning in his bed, unable to find a comfortable way to lay. The same things were flying through his mind; how he had been painfully aware of how beautiful she was when she laughed, or how excited she got when she talked about the things she liked, and the way she always knew exactly how to handle him. Sad, angry, happy, or hurt she was always the one who knew him best and how to make everything okay again. From what he could remember from what their teachers had told them, their lives here were only temporary. A lump formed in his throat when he thought of them going their separate ways. He had to do it, he had to tell her was had been on his mind. He thought of the first time they met in that room, their room, as he drifted to sleep.

He slammed the medblab door open, looking around wildly.

“Where’s Meg.” He demanded, sweat dripping down his blood red face. Everyone just kind of glanced around at each other and shrugged, not really knowing what to say. He let out an exaggerated sigh and then stormed out, making sure to slam the door behind him. He made a beeline for the labs. She was the only one he wanted to talk to. He could just see the laboratory doors but just before he could go in she busted out of them.

“Gally!” she hissed, grabbing his arm and pulling him to the side. “What the hell are you doing! Why did the medbay just call here-“

“Well had they just told me where you were like I had asked they wouldn’t have had to call!” he yelled, trying to yank his arm away from her. She took off down the hall, pulling him behind her.

“Talk. Now.” He began to tell her everything about his day, right up to where someone really, really messed up. Not only did someone load one of the buses wrong but everything came spilling out of it on the road. Not only that, but seconds later the same guy crashed that bus right into a tree. Gally had been the first one up there to check on the guy and it turned out the guy, Jeff, had fallen asleep at the wheel, and when everyone else got there Jeff was quick to flip his story and blamed Gally for the whole thing.

“And so now I’m in huge trouble for wrecking a bus and destroying equipment that someone else ruined!” he ranted. She waited patiently, nodding along to the things he had let build up inside of him until he was ready to explode. They ended up in the cafeteria and sitting down at one of the empty tables. He realized he had been holding his breath and slowly let it all out.

“Are you okay, Gal?” she finally said, earning a confused look from him.

“Wha-?” he breathed.

“Are you okay, Gally? Like, what can I do to help? Or to take your mind off of it?” she kept her voice soft and even. He was at a loss for words, he didn’t really expect her to care. Just to listen and tell him he was being a hot-head and to go back to work and forget about it. She took his silence as an okay to keep going. “Look, you need to take a breather. That guy was wrong for pinning that on you but also you need to know that nothing is going to happen to you. You’re one of, if not their best, guy out there and they need that. Also, we need to come up with a way for you to calm down when these things happen. There’s no need to be slamming doors and scaring the poor kids in the medwing, okay? Letting everything build up like that and exploding isn’t healthy, either.”

“Yes.” Was all he could think of. He felt silly, rushing all the way over to her for something so petty. Something he could’ve settled himself… She placed a hand on his arm.

“Look, if you want to come and vent to me, I’ll always have time to listen. But no more outbursts. Just… promise you won’t let things bottle up anymore, yeah?” he pursed his lips at her.

“Do you mean it?” wow. He had never felt so dumb in his life. But he also craved having someone to talk to. Someone to listen to her. The someone that she was offering to be.

“100%.” She smiled. Standing up, she reached for his hand. He jokingly rolled his eyes and took it, hopping up next to her. “Now, don’t make me have to trek across this building and kick your ass for slamming doors.”

Since they were the first ones in the cafeteria they went ahead and got their food. Everyone started sitting down when they were halfway done with their dinner, questioning why they were there so early. He gave her an apologetic look as he told everyone some tale about having to unload stuff at the lab and how they were done early, blah blah blah. She tried to suppress a couple laughs, giving him a wink while she took a bite. His cheeks went bright pink as he looked back down, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. He was very grateful to finally have found a friend.

Dinner had been going well, everyone was in a good mood and it felt like a million pounds had been lifted off his shoulders compared to earlier. At some point she threw a sarcastic compliment at him, starting a playful back and forth between them and earning laughs from the rest of the group. He smiled back at her, opening his mouth to say something, but then Jeff walked by.

“Aww, hey there, Gally. Good to see your little doctor finally has you under control.” Jeff teased him, patting Meghan on the back; she recoiled from his touch and shot him a hateful look. She went to say something but Gally was already on his feet, bumping chests with him and ready.

“Don’t touch her again.” He commanded lowly, pushing Jeff away from the table. All that earned him was a silent cafeteria and a laugh from Jeff.

“Maybe…” Jeff said, dropping his voice low. “she wants me to, huh?” he got right back in Gallys face. Meghan let out a hard laugh, shaking her head no when everyone glanced at her.

“See? She’s too smart for that. Now,” Gally broadened his shoulders and towered over Jeff. “like I said, don’t touch her again.” He turned and went to sit back down.

“Or what? You’ll punch another hole in a wall? Yeah, I’m terrified dude.” laughed Jeff. Meghan shot Gally a look, which he wouldn’t return. Jeff was still laughing as he was walking away, calling over his shoulder, “Or maybe you’ll just storm off to the medlabs to cry to your little doctor about it again.” Before he could stop himself, Gally jumped right back up from the table and lunged at him. It was a full-blown fight, some of the guys near them trying to step in and break it up while everyone else was scrambling to get out of the way. He heard her voice over everyone else’s, but he didn’t know what she was saying. All he knew was that he was pissed and had been waiting for this moment. Newt and Siggy got them apart for a second but before he could lunge again she appeared before him, shoving him as hard as she could but only causing him to take a step back.

“GO.” She hissed. He was confused and his adrenaline was still pumping, so she dug her nails into his arm and started pulling him toward a hallway. She kept walking, dragging him for seemed like forever before stopping dead in her tracks. “What the hell was THAT!” she whispered angrily.

“What!” he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. “You can’t tell me he didn’t have that comin-”

“I don’t care! That was some bullshit and you know it.” She scolded him, her cheeks turning pink. “He’s an idiot, always has been and always will be. I’m talking about how you literally said you were going to start trying to not let stuff get to you, and now you’ll BOTH be dealing with consequences. You know how they are with shit like that…”

“Alright, and how is that your problem?” he retorted, stepping forward and towering over her. Her expression went hard and she stepped up to him, catching him off guard.

“Excuse me?” she said flatly, using both hands to shove him again. “You’re kidding me right now, right? Alright. Yeah, you’re right. This is NOT my problem. Sorry for looking out for you.” Her voice got quieter and she turned to storm off, but he grabbed her wrist and spun her back around.

“I didn’t ask you to look out for me, Meg!” he almost didn’t let her go. She yanked her hand away, tears in her eyes.

“Yep. Got it. Just sit there and listen and baby you but don’t actually care or look out for you or call you out for it. Understood.” She turned again, walking away. He knew he was being a dick and couldn’t just let her walk away. Before she could get far he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into an empty storage room, locking the door behind him. “Gally wha-”

He took two strides and was right in front of her, pulling her in and hugging her tight. She was frozen at first but when he didn’t move she slowly wrapped her arms around his waist. He was shaking while he held her so she rubbed a hand up and down the small of his back. Tears started falling over the brims of his eyes.

“I’m sorry…” he whispered. She didn’t say anything, knowing he must’ve really meant it for him to be expressing himself like that. “I’m stupid, I’m impulsive, I let me anger get the best of me and I’m sorry. Please don’t give up on me…” she felt a lump in the back of her throat.

“Shh..” she hugged him hard for a second before pushing him back. “I have a promise for you, okay? I’ll be here, like I told you earlier. But no more of that shit. How about.. after lights out? If it’s a bad day just… I don’t know, wiggle your fingers?” she got him to laugh as she showed him what she meant. “ I don’t know… just a little signal or something. We can meet and I’ll listen and I’ll try to help any way I can, or even just keep your mind off of things.” He opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off. “But.”

“But?”

“You pull any stunts like you just did, I won’t.” she was stern, but wouldn’t meet his eyes. She wasn’t even done getting the words out before he was shaking his head, ready to agree to whatever it was the conditions were. He had always found it hard to have a genuine connection with anyone, so now that he found someone so kind and wanting to be his friend he couldn’t pass that up. Not in a place like this.

She gave him a small smile and a shove, motioning for the door. “C’mon, jerk. We’ve got some ass kissing to do if you wanna avoid getting in trouble.”

#tmr gally #tmr imagine #tdc #tdc imagine #tdc gally #gally #gally x reader #gally imagine #tmr #imagine #imaginesfromtheupsidedown #the death cure #the death cure gally #the death cure imagine #death cure #the maze runner #the maze runner gally #the maze runner imagine

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ramialkarmi · 7 years

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America's top cyclist entering the Tour de France has been using a portable brain stimulator to try to gain an edge, and he says it actually works

The highest-ranked American cyclist heading into this year's Tour de France, Andrew Talansky, is using portable neuroscience technology to try to gain an edge over his world-class rivals, and he says his performance has improved since he began using it regularly in December.

The state-of-the-art technology was created by the Silicon Valley startup Halo Neuroscience, which counts Andreessen Horowitz and Lux Capital among its investors. Halo has raised $10.6 million in funding.

Players in the NFL and MLB, Olympians, and Navy SEALs are among those who have tried Halo, but Talansky is one of just two cyclists at the sport's highest level we know of using neuroscience technology. The Halo Sport headset retails for $750, and the app is free, though the company said it may eventually launch a premium version.

How Halo Sport works

The science behind Halo is based on what the company calls neuropriming, or "the process of using electrical stimulation during movement-based training to build stronger, more optimized connections between your brain and muscles." According to Halo, the process "induces a temporary state of hyper-learning or 'hyperplasticity' in the brain, which refines the brain's ability to learn and adapt to training. This allows you to see better results, faster."

It uses transcranial direct-current stimulation, or tDCS, a noninvasive stimulation that uses electrical currents to stimulate parts of the brain.

After you download the Halo Sport app, which controls the headset, you moisten the headset electrodes ("primers") and neuroprime for 20 minutes, during which time you feel a tingly sensation at the top of your head as the device stimulates your brain's motor cortex. All the while you can listen to music through the headphones using your phone or music player.

After neuropriming, you have an hour of "afterglow" wherein you perform your most focused workout and, according to Halo, reap the greatest benefit.

After the initial 20 minutes of neuropriming, you're effectively done benefiting from wearing the headset, but you can keep wearing it to listen to music. Once you complete one full 80-minute session — 20 minutes of neuropriming and 60 minutes of working out — you have to wait at least eight hours to begin another Halo session (though you can keep working out as normal). Talansky said he uses Halo three or four times a week, on average.

As Halo's chief technology officer and cofounder, Dr. Brett Wingeier, further explains in a video: "Understanding the science behinds Halo Sport comes down to how the brain learns new skills. Repetition is the key ... That's why training works. Scientists call this 'neuroplasticity,' and it's how the brain learns how to control the body, and it's a big part of the gains you get from training."

Halo in pro cycling

Talansky, 28, rides on the US Cannondale-Drapac team. Born in New York City and raised in Florida, he's nicknamed "Pit Bull" for his grit. Notable victories are the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2014, the Tour de l'Ain in 2012, and a stage in May's Tour of California. He has finished 10th and 11th overall at the Tour de France, in 2013 and 2015, and seventh and fifth at the Vuelta a España, in 2012 and 2016.

He's one of two WorldTour cyclists we know of using neuroscience, Halo or otherwise, as part of his regular training. Halo told Business Insider that Talansky is not one of its paid athletes and that he simply liked the product. Talansky told us he first heard about Halo through a staff member in the Cannondale-Drapac organization.

As Talansky made clear to Business Insider, he does not suggest that the technology delivers results overnight. Instead, he emphasized that, for him, the benefit came from using it often over a period with many focused workouts.

Business Insider spoke with Talansky by phone from his European base in Girona, Spain, on Friday, eight days before the start of the Tour de France, which begins in Düsseldorf, Germany, on July 1. He explained how he's been using Halo in the run-up to the world's biggest bike race and how he believes he's benefited from using the technology regularly in training.

Daniel McMahon: How are you feeling going into the Tour, and what are you expecting?

Andrew Talansky: I'm definitely excited for it, and I'm leaving it pretty open. That feeling of winning and crossing the line first ... I'd love to win a stage of the Tour de France. The Tour would be such a special place to win. I've been third on a stage, in my first year, in 2013. In 2015, I was really close to a stage win, ending up second. Getting that close to it gave me a little taste, because for a moment there I thought it was going to be possible to win that day, and that feeling is something I definitely want to go after this year.

Given the Tour route this year, it'll reward aggressive racing. Unless you're one of maybe three people in the world right now who can legitimately win the Tour this year, then, you know, you're not looking to win the Tour. So the only way to win something is to win a stage. That's a big goal for myself and for the team.

McMahon: Who are the three who can win?

Talansky: Froome, Porte, Quintana — maybe Contador. Three of them have already won a grand tour.

McMahon: So how did you get into Halo?

Talansky: In late fall I got hold of the headset and have been using it ever since. Incidentally, I got hold of it just before I broke my thumb this winter, which led me to spending a whole lot of time on the [indoor] trainer, which is probably where it's easiest to make use of the technology.

McMahon: How do you like to use it?

Talansky: With road cycling it's probably the trickiest sport to get the maximum benefit, given how it works. You do the 20-minute neuropriming cycle and then an hour of maximum effectiveness. The easiest way for me to do is in a higher-end workout, a big-gear workout, especially TT-oriented stuff, which tends to be shorter overall ride time and very specific efforts on the trainer.

As you're warming up, you have the neuropriming going, then you dive into your core workout set throughout that next hour to get the maximum benefit. It's the higher-end intensity and the bigger-gear-oriented work, because with all of that, the goal is to improve your fitness but also your efficiency. Obviously, as you get deep into repeated high-intensity efforts, your form will naturally deteriorate, and that doesn't contribute at all to the effort, but it takes away watts and energy. So the more fluid and smooth you can be, the better everything is and the more power you're going to put out. That's one of the best applications for me with the Halo technology — just helping the body stay there.

For example, in your first effort, if you're doing five-minute intervals — even if it's difficult and intense — you're going to be pretty smooth and fluid. On the sixth one, maybe you're going to be coming apart a bit. Halo has helped me improve staying efficient. There's also the benefit of you know, on race day, but the biggest benefit to be gained is in a lot of the training leading up that, the repeated use for targeted workouts.

It's easy to use in the gym too. For me, doing core and leg sets, you have that one-hour window of maximum neuroplasticity. So while cycling may be the trickiest sport to apply it to, and using it for a road race is a little more difficult to use before, using it during your warm-up before a time-trial effort — the biggest advantage to be gained is in training, not just on race day. And the design is pretty perfect — putting it in the headphones — because I enjoy music and most people do.

McMahon: How would you describe what it feels like to use? Can you feel the technology actually working as you're wearing the headset?

Talansky: You can absolutely feel it. I'd say a tingling feeling is the best way to describe it. You can ratchet up or down the intensity, which, by the way, doesn't actually indicate how effective it is — say, a 7 instead of a 10 — it's more just for personal comfort. That said, I think most elite athletes leave it on the 10 because it's not uncomfortable by any means, and it's just our nature. Once you have it dialed, it's intuitive. It connects automatically to your phone when you open the app. It's simple.

McMahon: Is it something you feel the benefit from right away, or is it a deeper and longer-term thing?

Talansky: To me, I'd go on the deep side. It's like training in the sense that you train and you might have one great day of training, but that's not what your race day is going to be. It'd not indicative of performance. It's the months and weeks leading up to it together that's going to put you where you are on that day — or, in my case, over three weeks. [Laughs] I'd say there's nothing where you're like, "I did 20 more watts today." But you can look at a time trial and maybe in the last 10 minutes of a 30-minute time trial where you start to become unraveled, like at the Dauphiné or California, and you still feel very solid on the bike, very fluid, able to keep the cadence up.

It's just part of training. You're training your mind, you're training those receptors, you're training yourself to stay in that fluid state. So by no means should anyone expect an overnight improvement. But I really think in repetitive endurance and skills sports — which includes almost everything — there's a lot to be gained from helping from training the mind, and that's one area that's hardly touched. We're always training the body, but they're very, very connected.

McMahon: Playing devil's advocate here, but do you really believe it has improved your performance?

Talansky: If you want to dive into the science behind it, the science is sound. This is sound and not a gimmick, is what I'd say. Things work differently for everyone, obviously. That applies to training, nutrition, everything really. I'd say in elite endurance sports, professional and elite amateur — cycling, running, triathlon — people are always looking for the next shortcut or advantage. I've seen some people purchase incredible things, thinking it's going to make them better.

But what I would say is, this is something that really does have the potential to make you better because it's not promising overnight success. It's saying, this can be another valuable training tool, the same way a power meter can be, or a heart-rate strap. It can be incorporated into your training three, four times a week, whenever your important workouts are. And maybe it doesn't work for everybody, but I'd bet anybody who gives it a chance and really sticks to it, using it at the right times with the right workouts, I would think they would see the results.

McMahon: Do any of your teammates or other pros you know use it?

Talansky: Pierre Rolland uses it. And others ask questions about it and are intrigued. There's a curiosity. At this level, people aren't looking for a shortcut necessarily, but anything that will give a tenth of a percent to improve performance, and I think this can actually be a bit more than that. The way I really view it is, this is another training tool that I've incorporated on a regular basis. It fits well and is easy to make use of.

McMahon: So will you use it at the Tour before the two time trials? Talansky: That's the plan, definitely. And again, the ultimate benefit is what you get from training, but yeah, it doesn't hurt to use on game day as well. It's kind of one of the first legitimate products touching on the neuroplasticity, the neuro part of athletics. That's exciting because in terms of efficiency, like equipment-wise, we've pushed a lot of frontiers in endurance sports, kind of to their limits, so this is opening a new door. I'll be interested to see where it goes over the next several years.

Halo sent Business Insider a headset to try out; see the photos below.

SEE ALSO: Chris Froome is using weird chainrings

DON'T MISS: After Chris Froome cut back on carbs, he lost 20 pounds, started winning the Tour de France, and became a millionaire

The Halo Sport headset retails for $750.

Some words of motivation greet you when you open the box.

It comes with a spray bottle, a note about the app, and extra earphone pads.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

#Tech Insider #Arab #Entrepreneurship #sillicon alley insider

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itsworn · 7 years

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Building a Four-Banger Model A Motor for Street and Race

Hopping up a Model A Engine on the Way to TROG

Three years ago I answered an ad online for a Model A chassis. Already having two projects in the works, I figured maybe one day I would get to it and finally build that pre-war hot rod I always wanted. I was optimistic that my two muscle cars in the works would be quickly finished and the garage space would soon be available for the taking. Well, I was wrong.

After collecting parts for two years and getting further behind on my current projects, I decided to put the whole kit and caboodle up for sale. Through that decision, I met TJ O’Grady of Throttle Jockey Originals, located in Bohemia, New York. After some discussion, we decided that my ’29 roadster project would finally come to fruition with his help. Using my parts and his skills at building top-notch pre-war hot rods, we would build a true-to-form, pre-war banger-powered race roadster for the ages.

Once we hauled the goods to Throttle Jockey, TJ quickly took inventory and soon developed a game plan. First on our short list: taking this little four-banger and turning it into a peppy powerplant capable of transforming our Model A into a fleet-footed and lively race-inspired roadster. We hope to put this ride through the paces at several vintage races this summer, including The Race of Gentlemen, so the extra juice we’re hoping to cultivate from this setup will definitely come in handy.

TJ O’Grady rolls our Model A chassis in for inspection. This ’29 roadster will go through a myriad of changes over the next few months courtesy of TJ himself. Mods to the engine, frame, body, and suspension will all be done at his Throttle Jockey Originals shop. We are going to take this stock roadster from the “warm stick” that it is and turn it into a true hot rod in just a few short weeks.

The banger-powered drivetrain and chassis were said to be completely rebuilt by the previous owner. A quick inspection revealed the brakes are fresh, and the transmission and rearend look like they were gone through. The motor definitely looks rebuilt from the outside, but we will be able to tell for sure once we get the head and side cover off.

Our seller wasn’t lying. This engine was totally rebuilt and looks like it was just fired up a few times to see how she ran. We couldn’t have asked for a better starting point. The last owner also stated he bumped up the cam to a Model B stick for a little extra zip. We’ll need that added punch to work with our modifications.

Our plan is to replace the original head with a higher-compression model, so we need to check piston clearance to see what we can run on our motor. This is done by using the timing pin (located on the cover) and inserting it in the timing hole on the casing up front. After you do that, turn the engine until the pin seats itself. This will give you top dead center.

The piston peaks just over the top of the block at TDC. Depending on our head choice, we can probably live with this issue. We will also gain a little clearance through the head gasket. Note the “STD” imprinted on the piston, showing it is standard size. Looking closer, you can see these cylinders have been sleeved back to stock dimensions.

There are a few vintage speed heads remanufactured these days. The Winfield on the left and the Lion Speed head on the right are both re-pops and good choices for today’s banger builder. The Super Winfield in the center is an original piece and a bit outside of our budget. We chose the dual-plug Lion Speed on the right. Our piston height will not be a problem with this head.

The intake is an important piece in the horsepower puzzle. There are several different types being remanufactured these days, as well as originals that can be found online or at swap meets. Another option is a handmade piece, such as the manifold on the left. The center piece is an original Burns intake that has been bead blasted. The Ansen intake on the right is a re-pop that you can find at many Model A parts retailers. These are all single-carb setups; multi-carb intakes are a popular option, too. We will be going with the handmade single-carb intake on the left, built by WAC Customs of Torrington, Connecticut. Why not duals? Says TJ, “If you’re not increasing the size of the intake valve and putting a 3/4- or full-race cam, it will only make it run too rich.”

Matching the carb to your particular build can be a tricky assignment. Shown here are some typical Model A carburetor choices, including the original Zenith carburetor attached to original intake and exhaust manifolds (top center), flanked by a pair of Strombergs, an 81 on the left, and a 97 on the right. We will mount a 97 on the WAC intake, explains TJ. “We are increasing the cfm four to five times over stock, for a combination that will be streetable and race ready.”

TJ will design and fabricate new throttle linkage for our banger. To do this, he temporarily mounts our intake, along with a new 97. These bolt-on reissue carbs are popular with hot rodders for their “out of the box” performance. No need to chase parts or buy three vintage 97s to make one good one. This intake and carb will start us on our way to our throttle mockup.

This is the stock throttle linkage. TJ shows the range of travel of the factory setup. He’s going to simplify the linkage to our Stromberg 97 so we can cut down on moving parts but still get the correct travel and performance we need.

We remount the cowl section to determine how much travel we will have with the throttle linkage. Once determined, we can start modifying the pieces to fit.

Through a series of cuts and welds, twisting the original throttle on its original axis, and heating and bending the linkage to fit around the cowl, TJ simplifies the throttle setup. He then TIG welds the pieces back together for a nice, clean look. Heating with a torch helps to put the bends in the linkage rods so they fit flush against the firewall but still provide the necessary travel to full throttle. The finished product will be a more direct setup, without many of the add-ons other builders use to hook up the carb to the gas pedal.

Once the pieces are installed, the new linkage is ready to go. Here, TJ shows how the throttle rod clears the firewall at full throttle. We are now ready to tear down this linkage for painting and get back to the big stuff.

The aluminum Lion Speed head has been a favorite with banger builders over the years. It’s rated at 6.5:1 compression, which is a good bump over stock. We were lucky enough to receive one of the eight-plug heads from Charlie Yapp and his Secrets of Speed shop, and we should get a good boost in horsepower from this particular head design. Notice the cylinder head recess in the head (0.060 +/- as per manufacturer specs). This will give us the clearance we need with our pistons. Since two plugs will fire per cylinder, we will need a special distributor (more on that later). Here, TJ wipes down the surface to get rid of any contaminants before installing it on the block. Notice that our builder already attached the water pump and fan on the head in preparation for its installation.

A head gasket can make or break any build, and with four-bangers, it’s no different. There are gaskets on the market made up of all materials and thicknesses. You have to do your homework to find the one that’s right for your build. Charlie Yapp recommends not using a copper gasket with the Lion Speed head, so we are going with the gray fibrous piece on the far right. It’s a thin gasket at approximately 0.030 inch and will work well with our piston height and head selection.

Before installation, TJ takes time to clean any residue left over from the last gasket with a cloth and some alcohol. Next, he prepares the gasket with a copper-based head-gasket spray to help seal the gasket to the block and head. The gasket is then installed on the block. Once ready, we carefully position the Lion Speed head over the deck and ease it onto the engine, taking care to not damage the aluminum in the process.

Before we torque down the head, we install the water neck and gasket. It will get torqued along with the head bolts. While prepping for this Model A project, we forgot to purchase the water neck gasket, but luckily only a mile away from Throttle Jockey is Bob Bader’s Antique Ford parts store. It’s an oasis of stock, re-pop, and vintage parts, and it’s TJ’s personal playground. We ended up snatching quite a few things for our project at Bob’s, many of which you’ll see in future installments of this hot rod build.

TJ torques down the head bolts. He starts them at 55 ft-lb and then finishes them at 60 ft-lb. ARP fasteners were used on the head, and TJ needed them to be longer than stock to correctly install the Lion Speed head.

Here we are installing the spark plugs in the head. TJ wipes them in a little transmission fluid to help seat them correctly. He’s taking his time, careful not to cross-thread them in the soft aluminum head. The plug of choice is the 14mm AC Delco R44XLS as per Charlie Yapp’s instructions.

Our Mallory distributor has been modified to fire two plugs at once. After noticing the drive was 180 degrees out, TJ had to remove the distributor driveshaft and correct the issue.

TJ marks the number-one firing position to set the distributor. These four-cylinder engines have a 1-2-4-3 firing order. Once we have our firing order down, we set the wires for our head. Eight wires is twice the fun! Once we are done here, TJ cranks over the engine by hand, just to make sure everything clears.

Since we are adding some modern touches and using a 12-volt system, we decided to boost our electrical system a bit and chose a Powermaster 12-volt PowerGen alternator. It’s a single-wire install and has a max output of 90 amps, plenty of power for our Model A. It has the old-school looks of the original unit but with a big performance upgrade.

The PowerGen alternator came with everything needed for installation, which included the tension bar and bolts. Since it has a V-pulley design (like your other banger pulleys), getting a belt is as easy as going to your local hardware store: A lawnmower belt fits perfectly on our banger. Just make sure you get the right size. You will need clearance for your lower radiator hose, so a good fit is a must. Powermaster also warns about belt slip with its alternators, so make sure it fits tight without slippage.

TJ does all his exhaust work in-house. For this project, he’s decided on a particular style that he’s done in the past on pre-war builds. He starts with a flange from WAC Customs, and TIG welds his pipe pieces onto the form.

Throttle Jockey takes great pride in its exhaust and header work. Using pre-bent pipes, TJ shapes the pipes into a dual swept design that will feed longer side pipes. Here, he shows us his “fish mouth” cut to join two pipes together. This cut allows a tight fit when joining the pipes.

Part one of the exhaust is complete. We will work with this setup until we get the body situated. You see where the pipes have been spread to accept the next set of straights to lengthen the system.

Next, the WAC intake is attached to the exhaust flange. Its fit is flawless, not to mention it all looks downright killer. Shame to put any kind of hood over this setup.

This part of the engine buildup is complete. Once we get the body together, we will add the coil, wiring, and the rest of the exhaust. Tune in next issue for our suspension rebuild. TJ and Throttle Jockey have plenty of ideas on how to get this rowdy roadster race ready!

Sources:

Bob Bader’s Antique Ford Parts Center; 631/256-0030; [email protected]

Powermaster Starters and Alternators; 630/957-4019; powermastermotorsports.com

Throttle Jockey Originals; 631/689-8900; [email protected]

WAC Customs; 860-459-0399; [email protected]

The post Building a Four-Banger Model A Motor for Street and Race appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

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