After facing the starter during a downpour, Milne crossed the finish in bright sunlight and in an air temperature about 10degC warmer.
His only obstacles along the way were the challenges of Dunedin runners Shaun Barlow and Jonah Smith.
Milne (38), who grew up in Dunedin, and studied at the University of Otago, is another of the city's talents lost north because of employment opportunities.
While in Dunedin until seven years ago, Milne ran only for fitness. It was not until he moved to Wellington that he took the next step and joined a club.
He has made the most of two recent visits back home, with a fifth place in the half marathon section of last month's Dunedin Marathon, and yesterday's result.
Milne looked strong from the start yesterday, getting involved early with the pace up front set by Barlow and Smith. who had also performed well in last month's marathon.
But it was another day, another race yesterday, and Milne did not appear to be leaving anything to chance as Barlow put in a surge that only Milne went with. The pace of the pair proved too much as Smith started to fall away.
Milne and Barlow remained locked together until the final 1500m, when Milne began to edge in front, crossing the finish in a personal best 1hr 16min 25sec, with Barlow 11sec back in second place and Smith holding on for third in 1hr 21min 32sec.
''I'm pleased with that. It was nice to have consistent pace,'' Milne said.
Otago half marathon champion Mel Aitken made
a powerful return to form following the disappointments of last month's Dunedin Marathon, in which flu symptoms got the better of her in the final 10km.
Aitken made a statement that her form had returned when clocking fastest time in her category at last weekend's national road relay. Yesterday, she reaffirmed it when crossing to win the open women's section in 1hr 25min 26sec.
Although 3min outside her personal best, it was a great solo effort, given she continued to stretch out her lead at every kilometre, crossing 5min 29sec clear of second-placed Donna Young, with Anne Andrew third in 1hr 32min 56sec.
By her own admission the racing does not get any easier, but Dunedin's Shireen Crumpton still remains one of the province's top distance runners, with a convincing victory in the women's section of the associated 10km race.
In the race, Crumpton crossed in third place overall in 38min 56sec, with Stacey Pearson, who, like Crumpton is a past national marathon champion, second in 41min 38sec, with Sarah Rhodes third in 43min 44sec.
Robbie Johnston may have faltered at the start, but quickly made his way through the field to hit the lead of the open men's field in the first kilometre, to cruise to victory in 35min 9sec.
A huge run from Ken McDonald, who attempted to go with Johnston's pace, saw him finish second in 36min 22sec, with Peter Oberlin-Brown third in 38min 57sec.
But the story of the event belonged to Dunedin's Alana Lash who contested the half marathon pushing
son Alfie (9 months) in a push chair around the course in 1hr 59min 21sec.
Lash's progress was delayed only when, after the rain ceased and overhead cloud burnt off, she had to take off a layer of Alfie's clothes to stop him overheating.
For Lash, it was a fish and chip meal the night before mixed with a bit of champagne that she credited to breaking 2hrs. But for wee Alfie it was just another day out as his buggy rides are a regular ritual on the streets of Mornington and Highgate.
His mother said he got a bit scratchy around the 90min mark but when he saw all the people he perked up. And the ride on the shoulders of his father, Heath Lash, at the finish made the 21.1km journey all worth the while.
