You can't run a step without a sense of balance.

Nor can you run a major international marathon on public thoroughfares without it.

So while the successful 33rd Honolulu Marathon is over — and all the good memories, as well as the traffic, trash and inconvenience are still fresh in our minds — there's no better time to ask if the event is still in balance when it comes to the needs of runners and residents.

"Like any responsible corporation and neighbor, we always try to be responsible and better," said Dr. Jim Barahal, marathon president, a mere 24 hours after the race had officially ended.

He said this year's complaints seem to come from a small minority. "We're not going to accommodate that," he said. But he did say the organization always tries to do things better.

And we agree, it should.

This world-famous event is too important to the city's economy and its image.

To that end, we're glad that co-race director Ken MacDowell is soliciting participants and residents to send him feedback at info@honolulu marathon.org.

MacDowell said that he's always looking to improve the race experience for everyone.

"Trying to return the roads to normal traffic patterns is always a high priority," he said. "You can only go so fast."

This year, MacDowell said, the mauka side of Kalaniana'ole Highway was opened up at 8:30 a.m, the earliest ever, because of the race flow. But he said the makai side takes longer to open up due to the cleanup of more than a dozen aid stations.

"I don't think the event is ever perfect," said MacDowell, who acknowledged the public's role in helping organizers balance the needs of runners and residents.

"We have to take all the input we can get," he said. "And figure where we might need to improve."

It's the kind of openness we expect from a first-class organization that has become the model for such massive public events on the Island. It's an attitude that only assures the marathon's continued success next year and beyond.