Marco Odermatt found moments of clarity on a foggy day in the Italian Dolomites to race to victory in a World Cup downhill at Val Gardena.

(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)BEAVER CREEK, CO – To unwind, Italian downhill racer Dominik Paris sometimes screams into a microphone. "The key thing is they're able to diversify their self-identity, so they're not just ski racers," said Jim Taylor, a former ski racer who's now a sports psychologist. “If you're always thinking about ski racing it drains you mentally,” Ganong said. "It's super fun doing something completely different than what I do as a professional ski racer," said Ganong. “Having other activities and interests and passions takes their mind off of the 24/7 mindset of their sport,” Taylor said.