Cheseto was born in
Kapenguria,
Kenya to Dickson, a local farmer. He is the third oldest of 11 children. Cheseto was raised in the village of Ptop, in the western Kenyan mountains. In 2006, he graduated from a two-year college in
Nairobi and started working as a teacher. Being always interested in running, Cheseto enrolled in a running academy in
Eldoret, and started training twice daily. He had moderate success in local races, which raised the interest of American college recruiters. Michael Friess, the track and cross-country coach at the
University of Alaska Anchorage who already had Kenyan David Kiplagat in his roster, offered Marko a full scholarship. Cheseto also began working at the university sports complex. In 2009 and 2010, Cheseto raced to All-American status in both the
5,000 and
10,000 meter races. In 2010, he won the GNAC championship in both events. On November 6, 2011, Cheseto went out of his home in the middle of a
blizzard, dressed only with jeans and a light jacket. On an interview with
ESPN, Cheseto claims to have no recollection of what happened after he walked out. When his roommates reported him missing, the police started searching for Cheseto. At around 3 a.m. on November 9, Cheseto was found outside a hotel near campus. In 2018, he moved to Florida, became an American citizen, and began working for Prosthetic & Orthotic Associates of Orlando. ==References==