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patriciawill6
04-19-2006, 10:04
Hi, my name is Patricia Williams and I am a master's student at the University of Tennessee. For my thesis, I am conducting a research study examining physiological adaptations to hiking the Appalachian Trail

Who: Adults ages 18-44 (men) and 18-54 (women) attempting a northbound thru-hike starting in Spring 2006

What: Physiological and performance tests conducted before starting thru-hike, after completion of 271 miles, and after completion of thru-hike

Where: The University of Tennessee Exercise Physiology Lab in the HPER Building (1914 Andy Holt Ave.)

IF INTERESTED PLEASE CONTACT:

Patricia Williams
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (865) 974-8768


Thank you
patricia

Ender
04-19-2006, 10:11
Gah! The letters are so big it hurst my eyes....

A-Train
04-19-2006, 10:22
You're not gonna get a lot of people contacting you, i.e. hikers aren't gonna wanna do this without incentive, if it means leaving the trail. You have to take a more active approach, going out to the trail this spring, meeting hikers, proposing what you're doing and then the numbers will increase. Hang out in Hot Springs and wait for the hoards and start talking to people.

On my 7th day in Georgia, I met a PhD candidate doing research on hikers and how they change over time. He had us fill out surveys on the trail and then sent us ones after we finished.

Anyway, just my 2 cents. Good luck

patriciawill6
04-19-2006, 11:00
Yeah, sorry about the oversized letters, haven't got the posting thing down yet. As for incentive, I can offer a free overnight stay at UT, with meals included :) . However, subjects will have to leave the trail for 24 hours once they arrive in Hot Springs. And we need baseline testing, so I can't test hikers who have already started. So why should someone do the study? Well, you will find out good information like: body fat %, peak oxygen uptake, lactate threshold, and how these values change over time.

Thanks for the advice. Really appreciate the help.
patricia

jeepcj258
04-19-2006, 20:31
I am just finishing a thesis my self and I understand your frustration. I wish you the best.

patriciawill6
04-20-2006, 05:11
Thanks and congratuations to you.

Alligator
04-20-2006, 14:02
What would make a stay at UT nice for a hiker? Is there an outfitter? Make the meals AYCE. Try to score some phone cards. Maybe a new pair of hiking socks. Free laundry. Etc. Good luck.

alanthealan
04-20-2006, 18:58
Why couldn't the reward just be knowing that you contributed to science and the hiking community? I hope you post some results on whiteblaze so we can learn a bit too.

Rain Man
04-20-2006, 23:07
I don't want to sound utterly stupid, but you do know, correct, that a "baseline" is going to vary wildly because some thru-hikers start without any conditioning while others condition extensively by running marathons (or moving to Colorado for the mountain and altitude - my daughter did)?

By the way, I like you already. My mother and my youngest are both name Patricia! Good luck in your thesis. Most thru-hikers are great folks and many will be happy to help, I'm betting... IF you can catch them this late.

Rain:sunMan

.

nyushka42
04-24-2006, 02:38
I'm starting late, but I'm only doing 1/2 the trail this year, sorry! Good luck... (from someone outta shape who's conditioning is coming from walking a couple miles every couple days on completely flat midwestern terrain).

TROUBLE
05-24-2006, 12:00
THIS IS TROUBLE.STARTED HIKING FROM SPRINGER MOUNTAIN ON MARCH 28,2006.WOULD LOVE TO HELP OUT IF I COULD.I AM 38 YEAR OLD MALE HIKING FOR FIRST TIME EVER.IN DAMASCUS VIRGINIA,WAITING FOR FOOD DROP TO GET TO POST OFFICE.HOPEFULLY TOMMORROW I WILL SHOVE OFF.MY E-MAIL IS [email protected] or trouble on whiteblaze.net.