Payne has been based in Auckland, as a corporate lawyer, for the past year but has had a lot of success in Dunedin, particularly as a junior athlete as a member of the Caversham club.
Interestingly, it was Payne's first time on the marathon course yesterday.
''I just wanted to come down while I was fit and healthy and tick this one off the bucket list,'' he said.
''It's one of the most scenic courses in the country. It was awesome.''
With a headwind all the way towards the harbour basin, Payne became locked in a duel with fellow Aucklander Hayden Shearman, with both going through the halfway point in 1hr 21min.
Turning with the breeze at his back, Payne increased his tempo to record a comfortable victory in 2hr 36min 29sec, with Shearman crossing for second in 2hr 46min 1sec. Reece Billington (Canterbury) was third in 2hr 52min 54sec.
''I just picked it up in the second half. It was good. We had a tailwind. I was ticking off about 3min 30sec per kilometre.
''I don't know where I'll be in the next few years in terms in whether I'll be in the country or not.''
Payne (24) has found it tricky to balance long hours and training in Auckland, but works it into his commute between Mt Eden and the inner city, and averages about 160km a week.
A national junior 10,000m track champion five years ago, Payne won his first senior title in the national marathon championships in Auckland last year in 2hr 31min.
He used yesterday's event as part of his build-up for the Auckland Marathon at the beginning of November, where he is targeting 2hr 25min.
''I was third last year, so I'd like to improve on that.''
Payne has a personal best over the distance of 2hr 27min, which he recorded earlier this year in the Gold Coast Marathon. Depending on how the Auckland Marathon goes, he might look to run a marathon in Japan.
Opting out of top-flight rowing three years ago is paying off for Candice Hammond (Cambridge), who dominated the open women's field of the marathon yesterday.
Hammond (28) raced the Bintan Meta Man iron distance race in Indonesia last weekend, finishing third and completing the course in 9hr 38min, clocking 3hr 19min on the marathon run section.
She took on defending champion Mel Aitken right from the start yesterday. The two went toe to toe before Hammond seized control at the 10km mark and gradually extended her advantage, despite some problems with cramp around the 37km mark.
''I felt pretty good until the last 5km. The wheels started to fall off,'' Hammond said.
She said that, knowing she had the lead, it was just a matter of staying in control.
Hammond was originally coming to Dunedin for a rest and to catch up with friends, but heard about the marathon and decided to enter.
''I was planning on doing a long run while I was here, so I thought I might just enter the marathon and see how it goes.''
She went through the halfway mark in 1hr 27min, to complete the course in 3hr 2min 28sec. Aitken was second in 3hr 9min 17sec, with Sarah Bryant third in 3hr 12min 57sec.
In rowing, Hammond was nationally ranked in the lightweight pairs with Louise Ayling, but found the pressure of Olympic and Commonwealth Games qualification too tough and pulled the pin on the sport.
She made the switch to ironman and running marathons. Yesterday's marathon was her sixth this year. Her best time is 2hr 53min, recorded in the Auckland Marathon last November.
