Well, he won.  Narrowly edging out the teenage girl mountaineer, Deano can lay claim to being the ESPY's Outdoor Athlete of the year.  This from the The North Face mothership.

Colorado Springs, CO — July 16, 2007 — Carmichael Training Systems, Inc. (CTS) is pleased to announce “Ultramarathon Man” Dean Karnazes has won the 2007 ESPY award as the Best Outdoor Athlete.

This past year Chris Carmichael and CTS Premier Coach Jason Koop were instrumental in preparing and guiding Dean Karnazes through The North Face Endurance 50, a multi-day event during which Karnazes ran 50 marathons, in 50 States, in 50 consecutive days. This was Dean’s first ESPY award and it joins the many additional accolades that have been bestowed upon Dean. Dean has also been voted Runner of the Year by Competitor Magazine (2006), America’s Greatest Runner by Outside (Jan. 2007), Top Ten Ultimate Athletes by Outdoor Life Network (2004), and was voted #27 in the TIME poll of the World’s 100 Most Influential People. In March of 2006, Men’s Fitness said, “Dean Karnazes might just be the fittest man in the world.”