A shuttle hurdle relay race consists of four athletes on a team, each team occupying two adjacent lanes on the track, with the #1 and #3 runners on the team running in one direction and the #2 and #4 runners running in the opposite direction. The runners on each team go in sequence from 1 to 4. Since each team occupies two side by side lanes, there are a maximum of only 4 teams in any one heat for an 8-lane track. There is no baton used in this race.

When the gun goes off, the #1 runner starts out for each team and when he or she crosses the finish line at the other end of the track, the #2 runner can start, this time running in the opposite direction. Hurdle shuttle relays are wild events and often you will see hurdlers going in opposite directions on the track at the same time.