Examples that are in the rulebook are most assuredly RAW. The rules obviously override the examples if there is a contradiction (such as with damaging barriers), but if there isn't a contradiction, they are just as much part of the RAW as any other text in the book. In this case there is no contradiction with the actual rules. The example clarifies exactly how the implants (and the combination of them) function, which is, after all, the entire reason for having an example.
So, unless there is a rule that states you mark the track before the soak roll, there is a clear RAW way for it to be handled and a group doing it the other way is playing wrong if they're trying to maintain a RAW game.