Morning Routine: How West Des Moines Mayor Russ Trimble starts his day

West Des Moines Mayor Russ Trimble says he isn't a morning or a night person, but a middle-of-the-day person.

• "The older I get, the worse that becomes," he tells Axios.

Driving the news: Trimble was elected mayor in 2021 after serving on the West Des Moines City Council.

• He's since helped oversee Valley Junction home improvement initiatives and redevelopment of the Valley West Mall area.

Here's how Trimble starts his day:

⏰ Wake up: 6:30am.

🍳 Breakfast: He goes to QuikTrip on 22nd Street almost every morning and gets a 32 oz. cup of Diet Mountain Dew with some Rooster Booster.

• "I love the smell of coffee, I hate the taste of it. I think I would throw up if I drank coffee."

📚 What he's reading: Emails between his jobs as mayor and as chief of staff for the state Treasurer's office.

• He also reads local news outlets like Axios Des Moines and the Register.

💡 How Trimble stays organized: Back in high school, he learned that "I am my best when I'm busiest."