for example lilo:
image=/boot/vmlinuz26mm
label=a26mm
root=/dev/discs/disc0/part2
read-only
vga=792
append="devfs=nomount quiet"
i enabled CONFIG_PRINTK_TIME=y since the mm4 kernel26mm to be able to know how long processes take in the kernel. this prints a time for every printk message done by the kernel. you can then find out, how long it takes from one action to the other. this does not slow down anything (well, it does, but the effect is hardly measureable) nor does it make any trouble otherways. so to answer your question: yes, this is normal ;-)
i also informed about this in this thread:
http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?t=10945
but it seems that i needed to be more explicite