Thing is, with trails as short as the LT, now that its been thru'd multiple times in complete unsupported fashion, everything else becomes supported. You guys' hikes are just half -assed supported. Your category is arbitrary enough that it will need an asterix with a full explanation, whatever you do. "Self-supported" wont tell the full story and will never become a major category for speed hiking on the LT. Either stop worrying about rules and just thoroughly document your hike or go unsupported
In 10 years when a new inn opens trailside up north, your mail drop hike is suddenly harder than a hike of the same "category". Thats why Self supported as a category doesn't mean much, even on Kirk's self supported hike. I'd just carry the like, 20 pounds of food. Travis was a candy-ass.