Dr. Davis,
Didn't Karen Lutz do a nutritional study of thru-hikers in 1982 for her Master's Thesis?
I don't believe she measured or quantified physiological performance of individual subjects, but I know she compiled and analyzed a lot of data regarding hiker weight, body fat, caloric intake and requirements, pack weight, etc.
Not "dissing" your study, as it may well be more comprehensive especially regarding physiological requirements and performance - I simply remember her study concluding the trail is a no win situation from a caloric and nutrition standpoint - you just can't carry enough food, or the necessary ones, to meet the energy expenditure and physical repair requirements needed for a thru-hike. All the subject hikers lost weight; most women lost fat and gained muscle mass as did some men, but many men also lost muscle mass, particularly upper body mass. Their were some interesting conclusions regarding the caloric cost of trying to carry increased food supply vs the energy required to do so. One of these conclusions was that one had to take advantage of eating(gorging) as much town food as possible, just to keep from being completely malnourished.
I would certainly be very interested in the results of your study and I'm sure you'll get more than enough volunteers. I wish I were in a position to be one this year.
[I do not know if this was/is the same Karen Lutz who is (or was) a representative with the mid-Atlantic ATC.]