The article studies the running maxima $Y_{m,j}=\max_{1 \le k \le m, 1 \le n \le j} X_{k,n} - a_{m,j}$ where $\{X_{k,n}, k \ge 1, n \ge 1\}$ is a double array of $\varphi$-subgaussian random variables and $\{a_{m,j}, m\ge 1, j\ge 1\}$ is a double array of constants. Asymptotics of the maxima of the double arrays of positive and negative parts of $\{Y_{m,j}, m \ge 1, j \ge 1\}$ are studied, when $\{X_{k,n}, k \ge 1, n \ge 1\}$ have suitable "exponential-type" tail distributions. The main results are specified for various important particular scenarios and classes of $\varphi$-subgaussian random variables.