With the buzz of London 2012 behind them, the Scottish double Commonwealth Games gold medallist Carry, who recently retired from swimming, and Payne, a two-time world open water champion, are talking about settling into their new home in Edinburgh.
"Sometimes I'll pick up the post and a letter says: 'Mrs Carry' and I'll suddenly think: 'Oh, that's me,'" said Payne, with a laugh. "Professionally, I'm still 'Payne', but, in everyday life, I'm Mrs Carry."
"If anything, your baking and cooking has got even better," added Carry. Payne raises a quizzical eyebrow. "Has it? Well, David has an office now so I can bake things and send them off with him when he goes to work," she added. "Banana bread is my favourite thing to make and I've just started doing custard buns."
Don't let the blissful picture of domesticity fool you: Payne has lost none of the formidable focus that made her a double world champion and 2008 Olympic silver medallist.
She missed out on a medal in London in the 10k open-water swim by the narrowest of margins, finishing fourth, a mere 0.4sec. from bronze. Having been left with nothing after two hours of brutal punishment in the Serpentine, Payne could have been forgiven for harbouring some bitterness, but she resolutely bats the assertion away.
"The beauty of open-water swimming and reason I love it is that there are so many variables and different things that can happen," she said. "Coming fourth was great. I'm incredibly proud of the process and how I got there. I'm happy with how the Olympics went. Having our wedding, too, was a great way to finish off 2012. It wasn't just a good year; it was a fantastic one."
Yet a hint of unfinished business hangs in the air. Asked if she has now chalked it up to life experience and moved on, Payne gives equally short shrift. "I'm double world champion and I have an Olympic silver medal. In terms of experiences, I have quite a few," she said.
"Being part of the 2012 Olympics and the GB team, feeling like an absolute rock star when we did the parade through London, was absolutely amazing. I'm so glad I got to experience all of it.
"I'm of the thinking that everything happens for a reason and I'm sure that will become apparent in the next couple of years."
Since relocating to the capital from Manchester last year, she now trains with the historic Warrender Baths Club – its alumni include the Olympic and Commonwealth Games champion David Wilkie – under the tutelage of Laurel Bailey and Kris Gilchrist.
With no open-water event in the Commonwealth Games, Payne is still weighing up whether to switch to the pool. Having dipped a toe in, so to speak, with gold in the 800 metres freestyle at the Scottish Gas National Open Short Course Championships in December, she followed that with silver in the 1500m freestyle and bronze in the 400m individual medley at the British Gas International Meeting in Leeds earlier this month.
Payne will make a decision on whether to continue in that vein after the world championships in Barcelona this summer, at which she intends to focus on the open water event.
Payne finished hot on the heels of Scotland's Hannah Miley and fellow Englishwoman Aimee Willmott in the 400m individual medley in Leeds, providing food for thought for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
"I was the third Brit and the second English swimmer and I've literally only been swimming [the distance] again since January," she said. "We'll have to see what happens but, no matter what, I will be in Glasgow next year, whether it's competing or soaking up the experience. If I'm not swimming, I will definitely volunteer somehow."
Carry, having wrapped up his decade-long international career in October, is forging a new path in sports management with Edinburgh firm Red Sky. "It's a huge change but one I was preparing for throughout my swimming career," he said. "Almost ironically, that is what I'm doing now: helping our athletes prepare for a double career track."
The couple have signed up to be the faces of the 2013 Bank of Scotland Great Scottish Run. While they may be more used to clocking up miles in the pool than pounding pavements, Carry plans to tackle the half-marathon and Payne the 10k.
Both are relishing the prospect, albeit with trepidation. "I worked out that, during my swimming career, I spent 80% of my life horizontal," added Carry. "I think it's about time to redress that balance. It's a huge challenge and totally out of my comfort zone. I'm looking forward to it, although I'm beginning to wonder if the toddler dash may be a better choice."
Carry has an ace card up his sleeve: the phone numbers of runner friends Eilish McColgan and Guy Learmonth on speed dial. "They have promised to help out with tips; I'm definitely going to be giving them a call."
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