From my experience with NiMh, if they are discharged too deep, they have to rest a night or so, to take charge without false peaking.
So I'm equalizing them down to 0,6 volt each cell, the night before a race/practise day. On the track I discharge them at 10 amps down to 2,5 volt. No cooling privide, since I believe in they dont like too fast temperature changes.
Between race/practise days, I let them have approx. 10% charge in them. I never store them for more than 2 weeks, without a cycle every 2 weeks.