Payne (25), a corporate lawyer based in Auckland, cut his running teeth with the Caversham club, the organiser of the Cadbury-sponsored marathon, while growing up in Dunedin.
He shone in the junior middle-distance ranks, winning the national 10,000m track title just before making the leap to senior competition.
Despite a hefty study commitment, Payne was an integral member of the Otago cross-country team in 2011 that won the province's first national team title in 53 years.
He headed to Auckland, for employment reasons, and came under the coaching guidance of Craig Motley, who suggested Payne focus on the marathon.
It was not long before Motley's suggestion bore fruit. Payne won the national marathon title held in conjunction with the 2012 Auckland marathon.
Payne used his win in Dunedin last year as part of his preparation for the Auckland marathon, in which he finished fifth, behind Dunedin marathon record-holder Sam Wreford.
Payne took comfort in the fact that he had reduced his marathon time, at the Auckland event, to 2hr 26min 22sec, after having clocked 2hr 36min 29sec on a very demanding Dunedin course just a few weeks earlier.
He has contested two major marathons to date this year, battling a hamstring niggle at the Rotorua marathon in April to finish third, but still in a smart time of 2hr 30min 46sec.
He had held a significant lead until he had to slow and jog through the final 8km of the Rotorua event.
``It was just one of those things that happen,'' Payne said.
Misfortune followed him six weeks later when he took on the Christchurch marathon. About 10km into the event, a wrong turn cost him valuable time, resulting in third place and a time of 2hr 27min 15sec.
Payne's daily commute to his office in central Auckland often entails a 20km run from his Mt Eden home, capped off with a 7km run at the end the day.
He will again use Sunday's Dunedin Marathon to prepare for another crack at the Auckland marathon at the beginning of November.
Race packs for Dunedin marathon entrants can be picked up at Forsyth Barr Stadium (Gate J) tomorrow (4pm-8pm) and on Saturday (10am-4pm).
Late entries can also be lodged. Race packs will also be available from 6am on Sunday, but no late entries will be taken on Sunday.
