'Living vitally at 100 isn't just about longevity': Biohacker sets sights on centenarian sprint record

Bestselling author Roland Tokko challenges HOLOLIFE Summit attendees to pursue emotional, long-term health goals that add 'life to years'

In a captivating session at the HOLOLIFE Summit 2025 in Tallinn, bestselling author and founder of Becoming International Roland Tokko shared his unconventional approach to longevity: aiming to break the 100-meter sprint world record when he turns 100 years old.

"In 2084, October 4th, when I turn one hundred, I'm planning to run a hundred-meter race. My aim is to run it with the world record for one hundred-year-olds," Tokko told the audience at the three-day wellness summit, which concluded yesterday in Estonia's capital.

Far from being merely a physical challenge, Tokko presented his ambitious goal as a blueprint for meaningful longevity – a theme that resonated throughout his presentation "Living Longer by Having More Life Into the Years!"

From injury to inspiration

Tokko's journey began with a personal wake-up call when he found himself on crutches with a broken knee while attending a wellness event about a decade ago.

"I was standing there, watching that 'health is the foundation of everything' with my crutches, and I was like, okay, I think I got the message," he recounted, drawing laughter from the audience.

That moment prompted him to make health his number one priority, resulting in significant weight loss and near-elimination of illness from his life. However, Tokko explained that maintaining healthy practices can become tedious without an emotionally compelling reason.

"The more you go into biohacking, the more things there are that you can do. And if you want to do everything, you pretty much do only biohacking," he said, acknowledging the unsustainability of obsessive health optimisation.

The importance of emotional health targets

Studies from Harvard and Stanford, Tokko noted, have shown that having long-term health goals with emotional significance can add three or more years to one's life. The concept prompted him to challenge audience members to develop their own meaningful health objectives.

Attendees shared ambitions ranging from surfing massive waves at 80 to simply being able to play actively with grandchildren in their later years – all reflecting Tokko's emphasis on creating visual representations of what vital aging might look like.

Beyond survival: meaning in longevity

The presentation took a philosophical turn as Tokko addressed a rarely discussed paradox of wealth and longevity: "What's it worth if you're a hundred years old and wishing life would take you away—but you're too healthy and still living?"

Drawing from conversations with wealthy friends, Tokko highlighted how excess without effort can undermine life satisfaction. He recounted the story of a wealthy acquaintance who found that having everything at his fingertips without requiring effort had diminished his sense of purpose.

"He actually wants to especially tell young people, 'You don't want to become that rich because you lose some of the point of life,'" Tokko said.

Finding flow in work and relationships

Referencing Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's concept of "flow," Tokko outlined two essential elements for adding "more life to your years": purposeful work that requires effort, and surrounding oneself with people who bring joy and meaning.

"To be in the 'flow' zone, your skills and your efforts have to be in balance—putting in a little more effort, pushing yourself a bit more than you're able to do," he explained.

The ideal state, according to Tokko, is reaching a point where "having more money doesn't change what you do" – a definition of true wealth that emphasizes purpose over accumulation.

'No time to die'

Tokko concluded his presentation with a call to create lives so fulfilling that participants would have "no time to die or no time to be unhappy," drawing enthusiastic applause from the audience.

The HOLOLIFE Summit, running from June 13-15, brought together experts in wellness, longevity, and personal development. Tokko's session stood out for its blend of practical advice and philosophical inquiry into what makes extended life worth living.

As the audience filed out, many could be heard discussing their own potential century-mark challenges, perhaps the first step toward putting Tokko's advice into practice: setting the emotional, long-term health goals that might one day see them sprinting alongside him in 2084.

Frequently asked questions

What is Roland Tokko's longevity goal?

To run a hundred-metre race on 4 October 2084, the day he turns one hundred, and to do it at the world record for one hundred-year-olds. Tokko uses the target as an example of a health goal carrying enough emotional weight to change behaviour now.

Why do emotional health goals matter?

Tokko cited studies from Harvard and Stanford showing that long-term health goals with emotional significance can add three or more years to life. He asked the Tallinn audience for their own, and got answers ranging from surfing massive waves at 80 to playing actively with grandchildren.

What adds life to years rather than years to life?

Tokko named two things, drawing on Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's concept of flow: purposeful work that requires real effort, and relationships. He contrasted this with wealthy acquaintances for whom excess without effort had undermined life satisfaction.

About the event

This recap is part of the HOLOLIFE Summit 2025 Europe series, recorded in Tallinn on 14 and 15 June 2025. Read the summary of the whole event or join the next edition, HOLOLIFE Summit 2026 Amsterdam, on 14 and 15 November 2026.