Coaching in motion. Outdoors. Side-by-side
Not a cycling lesson. Not an office session on a bike. Something genuinely different - professional coaching delivered in motion, in the open air, with the road ahead of you and someone in your corner who's been where you are.
If you ride seriously and you're at a point in your career where you need to think clearly, Breakaway was built for you.
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The best coaching conversations happen when people are relaxed, unguarded, and free from the usual distractions. A cycling ride creates those conditions naturally.
Side by side, not face to face. Moving, not static. Outside, not in a meeting room. Research from Stanford shows that physical movement increases creative thinking by 60%. Add fresh air, natural environment, and two-to-three hours away from screens and notifications - and you have something a coaching room simply cannot replicate.
Cycling also offers its own language for professional life. The dynamics of the peloton - when to draft, when to lead, when to push, when to recover - aren't just metaphors. When you experience them physically during the ride, they become reference points you carry long after the session ends.
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Breakaway is for cyclists who are at a meaningful moment in their professional lives.
Perhaps you've been in the same role - or effectively the same role - for a few years longer than feels right. You're performing well. The package is good. But something has shifted, and you're not sure whether you're making a decision to stay or just avoiding the discomfort of leaving. You want dedicated thinking time with someone who can challenge you properly - not a formulaic session, and definitely not therapy.
Or perhaps you've recently stepped off the treadmill - voluntarily or otherwise - and discovered that having time doesn't automatically produce clarity. You have options. That's the good news and the problem. You want rigorous, structured support to cut through the noise and make a decision you can actually commit to.
What both of these people have in common: they invest seriously in their cycling, and they're ready to bring the same quality of attention to where they're going professionally.
Breakaway is for people who are comfortable riding for 2–3 hours at a conversational pace on a road or gravel bike. If that's you - and if your professional life needs the same focus and commitment you bring to riding - let's talk.
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A discovery call is the place to start.
No commitment, no pitch - just a conversation about where you are, what you're navigating, and whether Breakaway is the right fit.
Three Ways to Breakaway
The full Breakaway experience.
A 3.5–4 hour session built around a 2–3 hour road or gravel ride, beginning with a structured pre-ride conversation to establish focus and goals, and closing with a dedicated debrief. This is where the work happens - and where the environment earns its place.
A shorter first session
Approximately 2.5 hours with a 90-minute ride - for those who want to experience the format before committing to a full session.
Available once per client, at a reduced rate.
Zwift sessions
For clients who prefer an indoor format, or when weather makes outdoor riding unsafe, sessions are available via Zwift - the online cycling platform that allows coach and client to ride together on indoor trainers. Coaching conversation runs through Discord.
Same structure, different setting.
Breakaway Bundles
For clients who want a sustained programme of work, Breakaway sessions are available as packages:
The Training Camp - 3 sessions
A 10% saving against the individual session rate. Three focused sessions to build momentum, test the format, and start doing the real work.
The Full Season - 6 sessions
A greater 15% saving. For the work that takes time, distance, and commitment to see through.
Packages can be used flexibly across outdoor and indoor sessions, and are valid for twelve months from purchase. Investment discussed during your discovery call.
Breakaway Andalusia - Spring 2027
A 5 day immersive coaching retreat in southern Spain, combining structured coaching sessions with supported riding in one of Europe's great cycling destinations.
Five days in Ronda. Real roads, proper coaching, and a small group of peers who know exactly what it's like to operate at your level.
If a single session gives you clarity, five days in Andalusia gives you a framework you carry back into the work - and the space to actually think it through.
Spring 2027. Six places.
About the Coach
All Breakaway sessions are designed and delivered by Mark Taggart.
I have 25+ years of experience in senior leadership roles - including VP positions in FTSE 100 companies across telecoms, retail, technology, and professional services. I know what it's like to sit in the rooms where decisions get made, and understands the politics, pressure, and complexity of leading in large organisations.
I’ve coached leaders through career transitions, designed leadership development programmes, and facilitated difficult team conversations at every level up to C-suite.
I am also a cyclist - a member of iCycle in Bedford, and I’ve done many multi-day road and gravel routes across the UK, France, and Spain. I am an England Athletics-qualified fitness leader, hold a current Outdoor First Aid qualification, and an Associate Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
The combination matters. Breakaway isn't delivered by someone who has observed senior leadership from the outside, or who took up cycling to launch a product. It's delivered by someone who has lived both worlds - and designed a coaching offer around what genuinely works in each of them.
Reviews
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"[Breakaway] really allows you to be away from your desk. Cycling is a good mind focus - no chance of looking at an email or phone. No interruptions, pure focus."
Operations Director, creative services sector
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"It's like any club ride, when you might talk to other riders about work, home, and life as you chat during the ride. But in this case it's with a specific focus - to solve a specific work issue, with someone who can help you look at things differently and go about things differently afterwards. The clarity I have in myself has enabled me to provide clarity to others, and shifted and shaped the conversations I am having as a leader. It has impacted my strategic planning - and it's making me feel more purposeful and fulfilled at work than I have in a long time."
Director, public sector
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"Really enjoyed the conversations we had. You'd put a lot of time in and were great at communication before, during and after. I appreciated your honesty along the way - that's what I value most."
Operations Director, creative services sector
Your Questions, Answered
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A roadworthy road or gravel bike (including e-bikes), helmet, lights, and appropriate cycling kit including high-visibility clothing. Flat-barred, hybrid, folding, and commuter bikes are not suitable for on-road sessions. Kit and bike will be checked before every ride.
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You should be comfortable riding for 2–3 hours at a conversational pace. If you have any health concerns about physical activity, please seek advice from your GP before enquiring.
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Sessions currently operate within a 50km radius of Bedford, covering rural Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Cambridgeshire - quieter roads, manageable terrain, and room to think.
If you live elsewhere in the UK, get in touch. I’m always happy to explore other options.
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Outdoor sessions go ahead in most conditions. Genuinely unsafe weather - heavy rain, high winds, ice - is handled by mutual agreement, with a rescheduling option or a switch to the indoor Zwift format, decided no later than 48 hours in advance.
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Absolutely not! I’m an intermediate level rider myself and the aim is to have a ride that enables us to have some pause and conversation.
If you have specific accessibility needs you are welcome to discuss requirements with me before any engagement is agreed.