Recovery while training really matters: you should learn when to take a break.

Velonews has a great feature on why you should get off the bike, and why you feel terrible even after a couple of days doing nothing - To peak or not to peak — and why our bodies can fool us.

Everything in there I've incorporated into my training schedule, and why I even tell my fellow hobbyists that they should not even do recovery rides. Veg out, heal up, and expect the pain and disappointment when you start up again. That means you're doing it right.