“I’ve got this recovery thing down to a science, that’s for sure, but I’m not sure that’s something you like to brag about being good at,” laughed American ski racer TJ Lanning while heading to therapy in Austin, Texas.

He’s sure got enough practice. Lanning is currently in recovery mode from a fractured neck and dislocated knee (left) sustained in a World Cup downhill at Lake Louise, Alberta at the beginning of last season. It was his first race back after tearing an ACL in 2008 at Kitzbuehel, Austria. It seems like he has been on the injury list since his first crash in 2003.

This time he has decided not to hurry back to the racing circuit, and will skip the 2011 race season.

“It just makes more sense for me not to push it again,” said Lanning. “I’m going to make sure I’m 100 percent good-to-go, then get back on skis and just get in a ton of mileage this winter on snow before coming back to racing in 2012. It’s all about being smart and healthy for Sochi, (Russia, site of the 2014 Winter Olympics).”

During his recovery, the 26-year-old has been splitting his time between Austin, Montana and the U.S. Ski Team’s Center of Excellence in Park City, Utah. He has also made a number of trips to the Steadman Clinic in Colorado’s Vail Valley, where he had surgery last December.

“It’s been almost five months since my last surgery, so I should be able to move into the biking stage shortly,” said Lanning, who will ski on Head upon returning to snow. “Mainly, I’ve been doing therapy daily then staying active by flat water kayaking and stand up paddling. Both are great aerobic activities, but I’m ready to give my legs a little push.”

Following two weeks in Park City, Lanning plans to move to Maui, Hawaii, for a month to continue rehab and also to get his Yoga certification.