I hate writing a negative review but I haven't seen anyone else write about how the Great Chocolate Race series has been cancelled and the organizers have not answered anyone's calls or emails. And this needs to be a warning for other runners.

I did this race last year and was ready to review the 2017 race, but considering how this year's race and the Great Chocolate Races in Arlington, VA; Long Beach, CA, and San Diego, CA have been cancelled, it should not have been a surprise that the Charlotte one was basically cancelled as well. The correct phrase, however, should be "abandoned," since the only times I had any correspondence with the organizers, Crucible Racing LLC, was when I first registered back in August and a single email in mid-November confirming my registration entry. No other communications happened after that. No word on what the shirt would look like. Nothing on race day pick-up. No mention of a delay or postponement for the race. Definitely nothing on getting a refund.

This would have been a nice run or walk with some scenery sprinkled in among Charlotte's rolling hills in the downtown area, but it did not happen.

I signed up early in August because my wife and I ran the race last year, we didn't think there would have been any issues, and we got an email about a big discount on early registration.

I feel that too often we runners talk about only the good races on social media. We have to document the bad along with the good so we can warn others before it's too late. Spread the word and inform others because we are a community that encourages others on the running course.

I will say that if you want to run a chocolate themed race, check out the Hot Chocolate series that happens in several cities. You can see my review on the Atlanta Hot Chocolate 15k, and if I am still in the Southeast this time next year, I most likely will be running in the Charlotte Hot Chocolate 15k.