To break the cycle you can use the trax editor... just make to clips of different actions then put them together.

I dont use the trax editor, but have seen realy cool animations done with it.

With cycles it a bit harder to get things to stop and start or go from fast movents to slow.

Another way you break it up is to have the cycle only work for a certain number of frams. Say 1 to 16 is a run, then move the group to make him look like he is moving then at fram 16 the cycle is done. You can go into key fram animation to have him skid and slow down then finally sit or something like that.