Is anyone else frustrated that Geralt is constaly being forced to turn around and face the enemy, moving veeery slowly, when all you really want to do is run away?

WTF CDPR!!!

Well,it's certainly got some twists in it.This one's been around for a while (bug) for some.

You mean that's not suppose to happen? Seems by design, albeit a HORRIBLE design.

I doubt it,you should be able to run if needed and I haven't had that problem.
If it was deliberate then everyone would be making a BIG stink:-)

Press SHIFT. And read tutorials next time.

You can't run when combat is engaged.

I never had any trouble with running away from fights. Granted, I haven't done that many times (two, maybe three), but turning around, pressing SHIFT and sheathing a sword did the trick every time.

I do. The problem with this is twofold. First, I shouldn't have to. If I have run toggled on, then Geralt should run. Period. He should never walk or creep, as he often does when in combat. If I want him walking, I'll toggle back to walk. But when I toggle to run, I want him running, no matter what. This is how both W1 and W2 behaved, it's how W3 should behave as well.

Secondly and even more frustratingly, even when I do hold down Shift to try and run away, Geralt is constantly stopping to turn and face the enemy I'm trying to run away from, and he starts creeping again!!!

That's just maddening. I could in both W1 and W2, I should be able to in W3 as well. If I toggle run, then Geralt needs to run. Period. If I want him walking/creeping, I'll toggle that manually. It's incredibly frustrating that CDPR assumes that for me, because they're always doing it when I don't want it. Much like the damned auto-sheath for the sword.

Just keep the sword out till I put it away, dammit! And let me run when I want to run, dammit!

These are pretty basic game design concepts.

(Sorry, not yelling at you personally.)

Yes, you can. Like LameWarrior said, press SHIFT and a WASD key to run (sprint) away. I do this sometimes to escape a mob that I'm not prepared for, or to get distance between myself and the target to use a bomb.